Night Watchmen 04: Silver, Blood, and Gold
by Ironbear
Summary: After an encounter with a particularly strong and crazed vampire nearly injures Oz, Faith and the Scoobies make a priority of tracking down the vampiric drug and eliminating it and Buffy's relationship with Pike undergoes strain...
1. Prologue: Restless Dead, Storms Ahead

_**An Alternate BtVS Season 3:**_**"Mortal Friends; Mortal Foes"**

_**Author:**_ Sherman Barnes aka "Ironbear"

_**Disclaimer:**_ _Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel the Series, and all characters from those series belong to Mutant Enemy, Joss Whedon, 20th Century Fox Television, Kuzui Enterprises, UPN, Warner Brothers, and David Greenwalt Productions. I'm only borrowing them for the purposes of fan fiction, and only the plot and storyline, and those characters of my own creation belong to me. No profit is being made from this endeavor. Faith's back story draws __loosely__ from that shown in "Go Ask Malice: A Slayer's Diary" by Robert Joseph Levy; Simon Spotlight Entertainment. Episode events and episode dialog quotes, where used, are drawn from the transcripts and summaries at , Wikipedia, and the shooting scripts at (/buffyverse.asp)_

_**Author's Note: **__What if Faith had arrived earlier in Sunnydale and Buffy had returned a month later? What if the Mayor had had a slightly different goal? What if Spike never made it out of town following the love spell disaster, but met a different fate? Just how far apart is the line between "good slayer' and "evil slayer"? Diverges drastically from canon in many places, especially following "Lover's Walk" and "Bad Girls"._

_**Synopsis:**__**Synopsis:**_ _After an encounter with a particularly strong and crazed vampire nearly injures Oz, Faith and the Scoobies make a priority of tracking down the vampiric drug and eliminating it. Buffy's relationship with Pike undergoes strain when he discovers some of what led to her leaving Sunnydale, and she has an encounter with an Irish half-demon who causes her to reaffirm her decision to turn back from her destiny as the Slayer. An exhausted Scooby Gang prepares finally for returning to school, badly needing a vacation from their summer vacation._

_Note: This episode is both a bit longer than the previous three, and a bit shorter on action and longer on character interactions._

_**Word Count:**__ 52,370 total. 49,454 sans Disclaimer, Previouslies, and Credits._

**"Night Watchmen"**

_**A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Alternate Season 3 Prequel**_

_**Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer:**_

_Sunnydale: __"I realize that __Buffy__ took off on her own, by choice. __And__ I realize that Faith needs a Watcher." Cordelia cocks her head, and gives Giles a frank look, "No. __Faith__ needs __you__. She likes you. Someone like Kendra's absentee reprogrammer Watcher would do more harm than good." Cordelia's face goes unreadable for a moment, "It's not all about Buffy, Giles." Giles opens his mouth, and decides that he really doesn't have anything to say to that, and closes it again. Instead, he shakes his head slowly and looks through the bookcase just above her head. The megawatt smile comes back, and Cordelia says, brightly, "And on __that__ note, I'm off. Later." She sweeps out, and he can hear her heels clicking out through the main doors and down the hall for a long time..._

_Los Angeles: Gunn and the rest of his people are gathered around the courtyard of the old apartment building when Buffy walks in trailing behind Pike. Still uncertain about the impulse that has led her to show up at Pike's workplace when he was getting off, Buffy has to resist the temptation to make herself unnoticeable, or try to. "Hey, Pike," one of the other members of the group calls out - another young black male possibly Gunn's age. He glances over at Buffy with a smirk. "So, Barbie decided to make it after all, huh?" Buffy's spine straightens with a snap, and she glares at him, biting back the impluse to comment. "Yo, Rondell.," Gunn calls out from where he was working at the trigger guard on a crossbow with the help of a slightly younger black woman. "Girl's kind enough to show up to help - she don't need no attitude, hear?" He waves her and Pike over to his direction..._

_Sunnydale: __The cluster of thin, dark figures digging into a fairly fresh grave might not have heard them if they'd __walked normally, so intent on their task were they. Dirt sprays up, back, and behind them in all directions as they dig into the soft ground with both hands, like dogs. The wind changes slightly, blowing back towards Faith and the Scoobies suddenly, bringing with it a foul smell of rot and fresh putrefication. "Whoa! Eew." Cordelia says, gagging and waving a hand in front of her face. Willow turns a kind of pale greenish and bends over suddenly with a moan, making retching sounds. Faith hears Xander and Oz both swallowed hard, and she really can't blame any of them: she's too busy trying to keep her own dinner from clawing its way back up. She's smelled better aromas from three week dead former vamp meals in a lair. The two closest of the digging figures' heads snap up at the sounds, and two sets of red, lambent eyes - three per figure - sweep around the area and came to rest on the five hunters. One of them made a guttural squealing noise and four more sets come up as figures scramble hastily out of the partially dug into grave and also focus on Faith and the Scoobies. "Uh," Xander clears his throat nervously, and says in a shaky voice, "Since the element of surprise is now blown, let me just say: my what a __wonderful__ smell we've discovered."_

_Los Angeles: "No, I... " Buffy's voice comes out weakly. She shakes her head, and says it more firmly, "No." She makes herself meet Gunn's eyes evenly, "I don't mind giving a hand on something like this, when it's too much, but... that's not me any more. I put that behind me and I'm not going back." She spins on her heel and headed to where Pike was talking animatedly to Arturo by the truck, blinking dust out of her eyes. Dust, that was it. "Right." Gunn's lazy drawl follows her away. "Whatever you say, girl." Definitely dust. Vamp dust..._

_Sunnydale: __"So what do we do?" Faith asks, her eyes dull. "We go on, and we do what we can," Giles gives her a tight smile. "For now? We let these people clean you up a bit, and look at and take care of your injuries so we can leave. From Xander and Oz, I'm given to understand those creatures have foul nails and fouler mouths." He gives her shoulder a tight clasp, "And then you go home with your friends and you take care of each other." "Right." Faith nods slightly and searches his eyes as if she were trying to push her gaze through the back of his skull - or possibly somewhere deeper. "Home." She nods again, more firmly and her chin comes up, "I have a home now." Giles watches as an orderly and a nurse lead her into one of the trauma rooms for care, sticking his hands in his pockets. "You most certainly do, child. You most certainly do."_

**...**

_**Prologue: Restless Dead, Storms Ahead - **_

_**Tuesday August 25, 1998; Sunnydale, Restfield cemetery, night.**_

The sad thing was, it wasn't even some huge linebacker or WWF star of a vamp. _This_ guy looked like a scrawny, undead accountant with brow ridges and fangs, complete with thick glasses. Rick Moranis on steroids.

Fifteen seconds into the fight, Faith shook her head dazedly, trying to push herself up to her feet against the headstone and get the scene in front of her down to at least stereo vision rather than quadraphonic. Xander was sprawled on his back several feet away, shaking his head and one hand groping for his dropped airrow air-rifle.

A burst from Willow's super-soaker drenched the vamps head and neck in holy water, but instead of shrieking in pain and stumbling back, he shook like a dog, snarling. A slap turned Cordelia's sharpened pole into kindling and sent her stumbling back with a shriek as Oz dove in and tackled the vampire around the midsection.

The vamp stumbled slightly, then grabbed Oz by the collar of his light jacket and peeled him off like a limpet, slamming a fist into the little musician's side and tossing him rolling. As Willow screamed, Oz levered himself up to one knee and then groaned, an arm clutched to his side. Accountant vamp spun on Cordelia and took a long step forward -

- And the butt end of an arrow from Xander's air-rifle stood out from his back briefly before he burst into dust with a wooshing sound. Xander fell back onto his elbow, groaning.

"Jeeze," Faith managed finally to push herself all the way up on her feet and stood, swaying. "Who hit me with a bus?"

"We grow 'em tough on the Hellmouth," Xander remarked. He came up to his feet by inches and stood there somewhat absently checking himself for injuries, wearing a dazed expression. Some yards away, Oz was reassuring a panicking Willow as she helped him to his feet.

"Whoa," Cordelia wandered over to the two of them and slumped heavily against the headstone Faith was supporting herself on. She pushed hair back from her eyes. "You guys all right?"

"Uh... " Faith closed her eyes tightly, then opened them. "Kinda?"

"Yeah," Xander nodded. "Can you help me find my spleen? I'm sure I had a spleen when we started out... "

"Ok, you're fine - you're managing to make jokes," Cordelia stated. "Oz?" She gave the guitarist a worried look.

"Cracked ribs," Oz said. He managed a tight smile, "Otherwise ok." He and Willow came over to join them, Willow supporting him with an arm across her shoulders.

"Think I need a vacation from you guys' summer vacation," Faith said. She blinked, "But at least I'm only seeing one of everything now."

"Wow." Willow said, still looking a bit shell shocked. "Dilbert the Master Vamp?"

"Maybe not," Cordelia put in, frowning. "Look what our Pointy-headed Vamp dropped back there when Xander ripped his jacket... " She held out her open hand.

There was a crumpled, empty glassine packet and a full one containing a familiar reddish crystalline substance lying in her palm.

"Huh." Faith remarked. "Think figuring out what that stuff is and shutting it down just moved _way_ up on the list."

**...**

_**Tuesday August 25, 1998; Los Angeles, Buffy's apartment, late night.**_

Sheets bunched around her legs, Buffy turned fitfully, struggling to wake up before sinking deeper into a restless slumber.

_"You're hurt," Angel says, puzzled. Feeling his soft touch on her arm, Buffy looks down at her wound. Ignoring the cut, she steps forward and he embraces her tightly._

_"I... I feel like I haven't seen you in months," Angel says, wonderingly. "Decades even. Oh, my God, everything's so muddled. I... " Buffy accepts the fact that he's really here, surrendering to the embrace. Angel pulls her tighter, "Oh, Buffy... I... I... "_

_He shoves her away abruptly, his face turning demonic. Buffy stares up into his eyes, horrified. "I think you should go straight to Hell where you sent __me__," he snickers, cruelly, and Buffy feels taloned hands grasping her arms. She struggles, her face wild, as the scaled demons fling her into the surface of Acathla... "So long, __Honey__."_

Tossing about restlessly, Buffy rolled over in bed, somehow knowing she was asleep. There came a sensation of falling and she struggled to open her eyes as her stomach rushed up into her throat.

_With a thump, she comes back to herself, blinking as bright sunlight strikes her eyes._

_'Desert,' she wonders, seeing nothing but sand and smooth rolling dunes as far as her eyes could reach. 'Why am I in the desert?'_

_No - not quite 'nothing'. Ahead, near the top of the nearest dune, she can just make out a small line of figures walking heavily through the sands. Squinting and shading her eyes with one hand, she recognizes Giles, Willow, Xander, and a small purple-haired figure that has to be Oz. The taller dark-haired girl with an arm around Xander's waist then has to be Cordelia... but she can't quite make out the shorter brunette at Xander's other side._

_"Hey!" Buffy yelled out, waving her arms over her head. None of her friends turn, or even seem to hear her, continuing up the dune to the crest, appearing to talk and gesture animatedly to each other. "Hey! Wait up!"_

_Setting off at a run, Buffy takes off after them as they crest the dune and disappear over the other side. Struggling through the sands to the top, she stops, frustrated. The line of her friend's figures were even farther away now than when she'd set off - half way up the side of another hill two dunes over. They disappear over the top even as she sets off again towards them. _

_"You'll never catch them that way."_

_Buffy skids to a halt, her feet buried in soft sand as a girl, slightly taller than herself, appears in front of her and farther down the slope of the dune. Appearing to be around Buffy's age, she has dark wavy hair tumbling down her shoulders, and dark brown eyes. A great deal of tanned, bare skin shows around the slashed soft leather short-shorts and tattered halter that's her only apparel, and she leans lightly on the shaft of a long spear._

_Dimples appear in the girl's cheeks as a wicked grin spreads across her lips. "You left them behind, and now they're returning the favor."_

_Hands on her hips, Buffy glares at her. "Who are you?"_

_"You mean ye don't know?" Another voice speaks from behind her, and Buffy spins to face it._

_"Kendra?" Buffy's eyes widen as the name came to her lips. The Jamaican girl smiles mockingly, the side of her throat gaping open and dried blood crusting her neck, chest, and her blouse. "But, you - you're... "_

_"Dead?" Kendra nods. "And it is on you, I tink."_

_"No... I -" Buffy started. Looking down, she sees blood dripping from her hands. "No!" She backs away, frantically wiping her hands on her pants legs. Bumping into a soft form behind her, she whirls, her eyes wide. A stake appears in Buffy's hand and the blood runs down to the point._

_The dark haired girl gives her a sympathetic look, her face now covered in white clay and stripes of red and black mud and pigment. "No matter how fast you go, you know, you'll never get back to where you were." She cocks her head, smiling, "All that's left is forward."_

_Kendra chuckles behind her, a wet, horrid sound. "Your time has passed, someone else's comes."_

_"Maybe she's right," the dark haired girl remarks, shrugging, "Oh well - gotta motor. My friends are waiting." She straightens from her spear and turns, trotting easily across the sands to where the small group waits on a dune top some distance away._

_"No! Those are my friends!" Buffy starts off after her, only to feel a dizzying wrench as the world shifted around her, leaving her facing away from the other girl and the dune where the Scoobies stood. She turns back, only to have it spin around her again._

_"They need you no more, I tink," she hears Kendra call from behind her. "Choose, and choose again." There's a cracking sound, and the stake shatters and falls in splinters from Buffy's grasp._

_Protesting words on her lips, Buffy twists to face the Jamaican Slayer, only to find herself faced with yet another figure - this one dark of skin and matted of hair, with feathers and bones woven in her dreadlocks and streaks of mud cracking on her face. Eyes as black as night, and as devoid of conscience or mercy bore into her own._

_"You __think__ you know what you are." The dark woman crouches, glowering in a predatory fashion, "You have __no__ idea."_

_Before her eyes, the form melts and shifts into that of Buffy's mother, still naked and caked with mud and woven with bones and feathers. "If you leave, you can never come back."_

_Joyce Summers steps forward, eyes bright, and puts her hands to Buffy's chest and __shoves__ - hard. With a cry, Buffy falls back endlessly, twisting..._

_"Pickup, Anne," Janice snaps in a harsh voice, and Buffy comes to herself by the order window at Helen's, naked and holding a tray. Table twelve's been waiting on their blood and yak bile for twenty minutes now." She fixes an unsympathetic glare on Buffy. "You've been acting like you're a million miles away, all day. Find yourself and get with it."_

Gasping and wild eyed, Buffy sat bolt upright in bed. "Jeeze... "


	2. Chapter 1: Smarter Than She Looks

**Episode 1d:**

**"Silver, Blood, and Gold"**

_by Ironbear_

**Starring:**

Elisha Dushku as "Faith"

Sarah Michelle Gellar as "Buffy Summers"

Anthony Stewart Head as "Rupert Giles"

Nicholas Brendan as "Alexander 'Xander' Harris"

Alyson Hannigan as "Willow Rosenberg"

Charisma Carpenter as "Cordelia Chase"

Seth Green as "Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne"

**Co-Starring:**

Kristine Sutherland as "Joyce Summers"

Saverio Guerra as "Willy the Snitch"

Luke Perry as "Oliver Pike"

**Guest Starring:**

Alexandra Johnes as "Sheila Martini"

J. August Richards as "Charles Gunn"

Michele Kelly as "Alonna Gunn"

Glenn Quinn as "Allen Francis Doyle"

Lucinda Jenney as "Janice"

Cindy Drummond as "Diner Waitress 'Charlene'"

Jackie Torrens as "Diner Waitress 'Michelle'"

Sharon Ferguson as "The Primitive"

_"I have no speech. No name. I live in the action of death. The blood-cry, the penetrating wound. I am destruction. Absolute. Alone." - The First Slayer_

**Chapter 1: Smarter Than She Looks - **

_**Wednesday August 26, 1998; Sunnydale High School Library, early afternoon.**_

Willow looked up from her book with a tired smile as Faith plopped into a chair across from her, groaning. "Hey," she said, then yawned widely with a surprised look.

"Same to ya, Red," Faith said with a yawn of her own. She put her feet up on the table, crossed at the ankles, and rubbed her eyes.

"'Scuse me," Willow grinned.

"Boots," Giles said in a disapproving tone as he wandered over from the office. Faith smirked and swiveled her boots off the table, letting them thump to the floor. He glanced around, raising his eyebrows curiously. "Where are your, ah, shadows?" he asked.

"Xan's helping Cordelia with something," Faith said, yawning again. "They'll be along."

Giles acknowledged that with a nod. "Late night?"

"Couldn't sleep well," Faith shook her head. "Weird dreams."

"Oh, really?" Giles lowered his glasses, looking at her over the tops. "Dreams can be extremely meaningful when they're associated with a Slayer. Perhaps we should discuss them?" Willow glanced up with a curious expression.

Faith frowned, giving him a pained look, "_Dream_ dreams, I'm pretty sure, Jeeves, not Slayer dreams." She shook her head, "I've had Slayer dreams before - this was... different." Her brows creased more deeply, "More like.. like I was watching someone else dream, instead of dreaming myself, kinda."

"Ah." Giles said. "Well, if you're certain... "

"Pretty sure. Details were already fading when I woke up," Faith stated. "Diana gave me the drill on Slayer dreams and portents. Don't worry - I have something like that, you'll be the second to know all the skinny."

"Very well," Giles nodded again, apparently dismissing the matter. Faith watched him covertly from under her eyebrows.

"_Especially_ on the kinky ones," she added in a sultry voice. Giles flushed and began coughing as Willow choked, turning bright red.

"You you... " Willow aimed an index finger at Faith, then started giggling.

"That's quite a-all right, Faith," Giles stuck his hands in his pockets and gave Faith a reproving glare.

Faith grinned at him, unrepentant. "Hey, gotta loosen up the bookworm here somehow, Giles," Faith said, pointing at Willow. "Red needs to find the fun in the baddest way."

"Oh, I have the fun, really!" Willow said, indignant. "Why I-I... I'm shutting up now," she muttered.

"Right," Faith drawled.

"If you're quite finished attempting to, err, wind up Willow, Faith," Giles shook his head, and asked, "Willow says that you had an encounter with a rather unusually strong vampire last night?"

"Yup. Conan the Accountant," Faith nodded, frowning. "Dropped some more of that red crap during the fight before Harris dusted him."

Cordelia and Xander's entry through the main doors interrupted the conversation, briefly. Xander waved carelessly at them, calling out, "Hey, Will. Figure anything out on that stuff?"

"No." Willow scowled, raising her book so they could all see the 'Advanced Analytical Chemistry' title. "Chemical analysis is kinda harder than I expected."

"Hmm." Giles frowned, removing his glasses to polish. "Were you able to make any headway at all on it?"

"Kinda, not really," Willow admitted. "It definitely has blood bonded to it in some sort of compound - human blood. It's the other parts of the compound I'm having problems with... I haven't seen anything like that before."

"Huh." Faith cocked an eyebrow, "Still have that opened packet?" She put her hand out as Cordelia an Xander pulled out chairs for themselves.

"Sure," Willow eyed her dubiously, drawing the flattened packet out of the back of the book she'd been reading and passing it over.

Faith sniffed at the open end suspiciously, then pulled the halves apart and touched the inner plastic to her tongue experimentally.

"Eeeww!" Cordelia exclaimed. "Gross!"

"Well, _anyone_can_taste_ittofigureitout," Willow muttered, grumbling.

"Ahem!" Giles glared at her, getting an impish look back, "Please do _not_ taste test the unknown demon compounds, Faith. T-th-there's no _telling_ what you might be ingesting and what effect it might have upon you, even in tiny dosages."

"Ranks right up there with 'do not read the magical inscriptions out loud'," Xander's expression was smug.

"Quite," A significant part of Giles' glare diverted to Xander, then focused back on Faith. "As I was saying, do not ingest or handle unknown substances, _especially_ those with possible mystical origins, Faith," he repeated. Faith shook her head, hiding a grin.

"It's no big, Giles, really," Faith said. She wasn't prepared for the icy glare or the very soft, very cold tone of voice that came out in response to her offhand comment.

"Why yes, it is a 'big', Faith," Giles said, quietly. He removed his glasses to look at her steadily, holding them in one hand idly on the table top. "I really do _not_ wish to lose yet another Slayer due to her own thoughtlessness and poor impulse control. I would very much dislike losing _you_ in that fashion."

Faith flushed, glaring back at him. She spread her hands out, her eyes narrowing, starting to speak.

"I really am not speaking merely to hear my own voice here, Faith," Giles cut across her smoothly, "There are normal toxins that are quite harmless to a demon or vampire, but can kill a human in minutes with only minute amounts in saliva or on skin. There are others that do the same just as inexorably, but take agonizing hours or days. There are demonic essences that can impart aspects of a demon with only a trace of them on skin or membrane. There are mystical compounds that can bind a victim to a sorcerer via trace ingestion."

The others were looking away, or anywhere except at the pair of them, with the exception of Willow who gaped open mouthed at Giles. Xander looked more than just slightly ill. Faith swallowed hard, keeping her eyes level.

"I get that, right?" Faith stared back at him, not backing down. "What I _don't_ get is where this is coming from."

Giles raised his eyebrows. "I had hoped that would be obvious. I suppose it isn't. My mistake." He glanced away, then back to her, and said, just as quietly, "We haven't known each other long, comparatively, but I _have_ come to care about you. I am trying, in my own inept way perhaps, to attempt to stress the differences between 'acceptable risks' that _have_ to be taken, and _unacceptable_ risks that are merely foolish." Giles shook his head slightly, and replaced his glasses, "Does that make it perhaps a bit clearer?"

"Unacceptable, huh?" Faith crossed her arms, staring back at him for a good long time. Finally, she nodded once, abruptly. "Right."

After looking back into her eyes seriously for a few more moments, Giles' lips twitched and her nodded as well. "That being the case, umm, were you able to ascertain anything from the, err, tasting?"

Faith shook her head, once again hiding a grin. "Speed," she nodded. "And something else... but definitely blood. Tastes coppery."

"So, I gather you're, ah, familiar with illicit substances, Faith?" Giles tone was still more than slightly disapproving. Faith rolled her eyes.

"Not like _that_, G." Faith shook her head, "But you pick up things growing up on the street in Southie."

"Yeah, but do you always put them in your mouth afterwards?" Cordelia asked in a sugary tone, her expression innocent. The others apparently decided that the bookcases and ceilings were no longer more fascinating.

"Bite me, Princess," Faith laughed, shooting Cordelia the finger. Xander laughed.

"Now girls. No catfights until we finish the mud pit in the library," he said, shaking his head. "So, our 'gangs on PCP' are really gangs on meth?" Xander added, hastily, as both girls glared at him.

"Or something... " Faith scowled, nodding.

"Fascinating," Giles mused. "A-a vampire narcotic?"

"More like, 'dangerous'," Cordelia said, correcting him.

"Hrrm. Helpful, though," Willow said in a thoughtful tone. She laid her book down and got up to head to the library computer with a sheaf of notes. "I didn't think to compare it to regular pharmaceutical compounds," she stated, seating herself at the keyboard.

"Cool. I had a helpful idea," Faith grinned. "Guess sometimes 'practical' works too."

"We're going to have to have a long talk, one of these days," Cordelia stated, shaking her head. "Preferably _before_ you stick something in your mouth that kills you."

"Oh, yeah, like _you've_ never stuck anything in your mouth without knowing where it's been," Faith winked at Cordelia, snickering. Xander inhaled a hefty slug of soda and began choking as Willow flushed bright red and spun hastily back to her computer screen.

Cordelia gave Xander a disgusted look and whammed him on the back - probably harder than really necessary. "I'd dignify that with a response, but it'd probably go straight over your head _and_ your IQ." She sniffed, haughtily, then caught a glimpse of Giles' expression and broke up laughing.

"Save it for the drive later, C," Faith suggested, flashing her an unrepentant grin and a 'score!' gesture. "I think it's time we went and rousted that place Willy told me about last week."

"Just the three of us?" Xander frowned, once he'd started breathing again. As did Cordelia after a moment.

"Welll... " Faith looked at Willow, who shrugged and looked apologetic.

"Oz is going to take it easy for today, on account of his ribs," Willow said. She gestured to the computer screen, "And I need to finish this if we're going to find out exactly what we're dealing with?"

"Oh, fine," Cordelia rolled her eyes. "I guess its time for me to continue my education in Sunnydale's less than savory zones." She scowled, "And get killed, not necessarily in that order."

"That's the spirit," Faith nodded. "Then tomorrow we can get you a g-string and go undercover at Bottom's Up."

"You wish!" Cordelia snorted, then eyed Xander speculatively. "Or more like, Harris wishes."

"Ummm, yummanah?" Xander unglazed his eyes with an effort, his head swiveling back and forth between Cordelia and Faith. "Nope. Nossir. Not until I'm old enough to get in with a fistful of dollar bills, you're not," he stated firmly.

Faith snickered, "Fake ID, Harris. Join the 21st Century." She waggled her eyebrows at Cordelia, "What do you mean, _'Harris'_? Why do you think _I_ suggested it?"

"Pervert," Cordelia said, not looking nearly as outraged as her tone suggested. "Both of you."

"Ahem," Giles said, "While you're engaged in corrupting your two companions, Faith, do please remember to be careful."

**...**

_**Wednesday August 26, 1998; Sunnydale, Abandoned building and clock tower, late afternoon.**_

The large male vampire staggered back, snarling, as his face bubbled and smoked from the dose of holy water from Cordelia's super-soaker. A second one dusted when the bolt from Faith's crossbow went through his chest. The last of the three bouncers glared at Faith, but held his position after eying the arrow air-rifle in Xander's grip and the paintball pistol Cordelia was holding in a white-knuckled grip in her off hand.

They were the only three visible: heavy curtains blocked off the view through the arched doorway into the rest of the building's interior. Both remaining vamps stayed carefully out of the spill of sunlight through the open door.

"No _worries_, Giles," Cordelia grumbled. "_We'll_ be careful, she said."

"What? This _is_ careful," Faith said. She drew back the string on the compound crossbow with a negligently casual motion, dropping a new bolt in. "We've got them right where they want us."

"May I ask what you're doing?" The new voice drew their attention and distracted Cordelia from her grumbling as a humanoid looking woman entered from one of the side doors onto the large foyer.

"He fell on my crossbow bolt and went poof, honest," Faith stated, eying the newcomer. The woman was tall, vaguely oriental looking, and wearing a skin-tight jump suit that left nothing to the imagination. Faith cocked her head, curious, "You're not a vamp," she remarked.

"No." The woman said. "You're not normal humans, either."

"Slayer," Faith agreed, cheerfully. "We're the Night Watchmen, formerly the Scoobies. This is a surprise business permit inspection - as in: I'll be surprised if you've got one." Xander snickered.

"I see," the woman said. "I'm Nalia. What is it that I can do for you, Slayer? And, how did you find this place?"

"We followed a trail of breadcrumbs," Cordelia rolled her eyes. She pointed to Faith, "Slayer." She waved to the rest of the building interior, "Big concentration of vamps. Do the math, lady." Faith smirked, touching her nose.

"Please be careful where you wave that," Nalia sighed. "I'm already short one bouncer and the other won't be much use until he heals."

"Right now we're not sure he's going to have that long," Faith stated. She dug into her back pocket and tossed the woman the somewhat worn and disreputable looking packet of vamp drug she'd been carrying around. "Interested in that," she said, as the woman caught it out of the air and glanced at it curiously. "Like: where it comes from, what is it, who's moving it, and where I can find them."

"And if I tell you, you leave my business alone in exchange for the information?" Nalia sighed, "Not that it matters: I can't very well give you information I don't have."

"Not sure we buy that," Xander said. He was doing a decent job of appearing casual while covering the two vampire bouncers - the uninjured one and the still smoking other - as long as one didn't notice the whites showing all around his eyes.

"If you don't buy it, does that change it if it's the truth?"

"Convince me," Faith suggested. "What can you tell us?"

"It's a drug for vampires," Nalia said, shrugging and tossing the packet back to Faith. "I believe it's called 'Rage' or 'Bloodrage'. From LA, originally. And I keep my nose carefully out of business that doesn't concern me - it's better for my health. I don't know who's started moving it here."

"Better for your health can be relative," Faith said in a gentle tone.

"I still can't tell you what I don't know," she said, easily. "None of my clients use it: it makes them too unpredictable and puts customers at risk. Neither do any customers we let in. That's all I care about." She cocked her head thoughtfully, "Rumor has it that after you hit that one above ground distribution place, the others and the main one moved underground."

"Already figured that," Faith snorted.

"No, wait," Xander said with a thoughtful expression, "By underground, you happen to mean -"

"Underground," Nalia pointed downward and away from the building. "I believe the expression is," and she tapped her nose, then pointed to Xander, "On the nose."

"Oh, God, not the sewers again," Cordelia said, groaning.

"Suppose you don't know where 'underground'," Faith said. Staring hard at the woman, she nodded, finally. "Ok, moving on - so why should we let this place stay in business in our town?"

"The same reason Willy still operates a demon bar and Drayler's isn't closed, perhaps?" Nalia shrugged. "The vampires that work here don't hunt off work - it's a requirement. If they do, they get dusted. And they don't take more than is safe from a given customer, or they meet the same fate. The customers who come here do so willingly: if we're gone, they'll find some other way to get their fix."

"Something to that, even if I don't like it," Faith allowed. "Ok - we'll check and keep an eye on this place. You're level, it doesn't catch a case of arson some noon time. You're not - " she triggered the crossbow and the unwounded vampire bouncer disintegrated, "- and business could suck."

"I think it already does - that's the point," Xander observed, covering the remaining one.

"Har. You funny," Faith smirked. The three of them backed carefully out the door and out of the building into the sunlight.

**...**

_**Wednesday August 26, 1998; Sunnydale High School Library, evening.**_

"Hmmm," Giles looked up, bemused, as the three teens burst through the main doors in the midst of an animated - and apparently ongoing - discussion. "Disharmony strikes, I gather?"

"Naw," Faith pulled out a chair and dropped sprawling into it as Xander and Cordelia drew up seats across from her at the main table. Scowling, she stated: "Tactical discussion. No big."

"Argument over whether it's a good plan to let that vamp brothel continue operating," Xand said. Both girls frowned at him as Willow turned towards them from the computer, her attention and curiosity captured.

"_So_ not an argument," Cordelia said. "Arguments are _much_ louder."

"And they involve lots more profanity," Faith said, smirking.

"I see," Giles remarked, removing his glasses to polish them. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Willow, who shrugged. "Or rather, I'm not certain I do, actually."

Faith's mouth opened, but Cordelia cut across her, saying, "I think we should dust vamps, not let them run businesses here."

"And I still maintain that vamps need to be dust bunnies, but," Xander shrugged, "Faith makes good points."

"Slayer suckup," Cordelia scowled at him. Xander threw his hands up, shaking his head.

"I'm just saying," Faith's expression was stubborn. "If it keeps them off the streets so we can concentrate on the ones that are actively hunting, it's all for the good."

"But... " Willow started, then shook her head with a confused expression. "I obviously came in too far from the beginning on this one."

"Oh, no big," Cordelia waved it off, "The argument's really over, anyway. We've already decided that despite the fact that it sucks, Faith's idea is the best way to handle it."

"Yeah," Faith grinned. "This vamp drug thing's front burner, anyway. C's just bitching for the fun of it at this point."

"Am not," Cordelia grumbled, then grinned back. "It's for practice, not fun."

"Ah. I see," Giles gave them another bemused look. "Well then, that being the case, did you turn up anything useful on that front?"

All three teens slumped deeper in their chairs, scowling. "Define 'useful'," Xander suggested.

"According to the owner/manager of the suck brothel, whoever is breaking this stuff up and moving it went underground after we hit that one lair," Faith said. "Which fits - the other two lairs we took down didn't show any signs of it."

"'Underground' as in 'welcome to the Sunnydale sewer system and demon highways'," Cordelia added. "Body parts level three, next to the slime. Watch your step. On your left you'll see the chamber of horrors, where your host today is... "

"Kinda fits what Willy said when we went by there on our way here," Xander said, agreeing. "Word's kind of gotten around and smart demons are starting to give us a wide berth?"

"There's smart demons?" Willow quipped, but she looked inordinately pleased at the implied compliment.

"I would suppose there would have to be," Giles said. "Law of averages, if nothing else."

"I am _so_ not looking forward to touring the Underground," Cordelia stated, sighing. "I hope you've had better luck?" She glanced at Willow with a hopeful expression.

"Umm... some?" Willow said, nodding. "Not that will help find them like 'find anything luck', but... " she turned to the screen, "Faith's taste testing helped show where to look to get an idea." Faith smirked, and Willow continued, "We don't exactly have molecular analysis tools here, and I don't think a high school kid sending it to a lab would go over too well, but it looks like it has similarities to amphetamines, maybe cocaine, and something else." Willow made a face, "Oh - and the blood, of course. Yuck."

"A blood speedball," Faith mused, nodding. "Vamp designer drugs - yuck." She glanced at Willow and added, "Good job," getting a pleased grin in response.

Xander rubbed his shoulder with a rueful look, "See your yuck and raise you an 'ow!'. The 'gangs on PCP on PCP' is starting to sound too disturbing to be funny."

"I'm sorry, did we laugh earlier?" Cordelia's eyebrows went up.

"Well, ah," Giles pursed his lips, frowning slightly. "I may be able to use my contacts on the Watcher's Council to determine the origins of the trade, if it is indeed in Europe, but that hardly helps us here regarding locating the immediate source." He removed his glasses, adding, "And I'm afraid that tracking vampire drug dealers is a bit outside of my trained expertise."

"I gotta agree with Cordy; I'm not liking the idea of combing the sewers foot by foot," Xander stated. There were nods of agreement from around the room.

"Yup. Too easy to get cut off, surrounded, and then swamped with bad guys," Faith said. "Nobody ever wanted to be Custer playing cowboys and Indians as a kid."

"Not to mention what the muck does to perfectly good Versace," Cordelia said in a light tone.

"Yes. Well, as a bright spot in all of this," Giles remarked, "The fact that demons and vampires are starting to avoid you demonstrates that your efforts are having a commendable impact."

Xander's brow creased, "In English, that means we're doing good?"

"Well, yes, I suppose it does, at that" Giles said with a faint smirk. "At the risk of dampening the implied compliment, I might add that that does have a downside: notoriety will possibly draw more dangerous adversaries to you."

"He means gunfighter effect, Xan," Faith said to Xander's raised eyebrows. "We get the faster guns wanting to take us down."

"_That_ part I caught," Xander said, giving her a pained look. "Byproduct of getting a reputation from... some of our activities."

The four teens exchanged troubled looks, nodding.

"Speaking of," Cordelia said, after a moment. "We talked it over and decided that the group training thingy sounds like a good idea." She raised her eyebrows at Willow, who nodded.

"I can answer for Oz - he agreed too," Willow said. Everyone else added their agreements.

"I'll have to work it around cheer leading practice, of course," Cordelia stated.

"Excellent," Giles said, smiling slightly. He trailed off and, removing his glasses to polish, looked thoughtful for several long minutes. "Since I now once again have a Slayer to provide training for," he glanced at Faith, "I can requisition some additional funds from the Council for equipment. That merely leaves us the task of locating a suitable location to set up as a training area."

"But... " Willow gave the back area of the library a significant look, raising her eyebrows at Giles.

"No, I'm afraid the library won't suffice," Giles shook his head. "It will be difficult enough to continue Faith's training here with that pernicious little hobgoblin, Snyder, sniffing about, considering she's not a student at this school. Adding several additional students and the sounds of weapons clashing during school hours will change 'difficult' to 'impossible'."

"Oh."

"Oh, that's easy," Cordelia waved her hand negligently. "Do you _know_ how low leasing and property rates are in this town?" She met the surprised looks with one of her own, "What?! Daddy's a banking and investments consultant, duh! I'd soak up details like that by osmosis even if I were as dull as Harmony and I _weren't_ in training to be a future social maven, jeeze."

"I'm sorry Cordelia," Willow said, carefully, "It's just that... "

"We're all still in shock over you being helpful _and_ smart," Xander put in, grinning. He glanced at Faith, "Are we sure there's no pods in her basement?"

"Nope. I checked." Faith smirked.

"Ha ha. Very funny - you two should take that on the road," Cordelia said. "Far away from here," she smirked back. "Like I said: I want to live to graduate, and no offense to Thugette here, but this summer's shown we can't always depend on having a Slayer around."

"None taken," Faith shrugged.

"Be that as it may," Giles interrupted hastily to prevent any possible arguments from starting, "That would seem to open up several interesting possibilities if Cordelia's insights prove out."

Cordelia beamed, nodding. "Find a storefront outside the main business district, and take out a lease on it. Bet you can get one cheap with a little bargaining."

"Abandoned warehouse?" Xander asked.

"Naw," Faith said. "Sunnydale cops may not poke their noses into vamps and demons - but I'll bet they will if they see a bunch of kids going in and out of some warehouse with swords and stuff all the time."

"Hmm." Giles nodded, replacing his glasses. "I believe Willow and I can locate some possibilities, given the idea of what to look for." He paused, adding, "I'll put in the request for funds for a training area and equipment while we're searching."

"Cool," Faith gave him an approving look.

"Meanwhile, have you any plans for how to go about your search in this other matter?" Giles asked.

"Damn," Faith exchanged glances with the other teenagers. "Was kinda hoping you wouldn't ask."


	3. Chapter 2: It Just Never Ends Well

**Chapter 2: It Just Never Ends Well -**

_**Wednesday**__** August 26, 1998; Los Angeles/Santa Monica Pier, afternoon and evening.**_

"Urobungi!" Elena squealed insistently, pointing back in the direction of Pacific Park.

"No, no," Pike shook his head, laughing. "Enough Eurobungee for one day, kiddo." He bent over and hoisted a giggling almost-four-year old up and caught her against his side, supporting her with an arm under her rump. "Ice cream, then to the Aquarium," he suggested. "Wanna go see the fishes?"

Elena considered the bribe and the change of plans seriously for a moment, causing Buffy to bite down on her lip to keep from laughing. After a moment she nodded just as seriously and said, "'Qareeum."

"Cool," Pike winked at her, and set off down the boardwalk next to Buffy.

"Pshew," Buffy gave him a wide eyed look. "I'm never going to wonder how you manage to stay in shape again. I keep wondering where her batteries are."

"Naw, mini-fusion reactor powered," Pike stated, poking Elena gently in the belly button. "And they forgot to put in an off-switch."

"Ah," Buffy nodded. "That would explain it."

Settling in at an outside table at an ice cream place, Buffy gave Pike a 'stay put' motion, saying, "No, I'll get them. You rest up for the 'Qareeum'. Your orders please?" She stood hipshot, holding an imaginary pad and pen in front of her and cocking her head.

"Hah. You shouldn't have to wait tables on your day off," Pike joked.

"No worries," Buffy laughed. "You two are probably the easiest customers I've had in a week." Mentally jotting down the ice cream preferences, she headed to the counter to wait in line.

They'd finally managed to coordinate their days off and gotten in the promised Pacific Park trip. It was one of the better days she'd had since, well... almost forever, Buffy reflected. A rarity even in it not - yet - having been interrupted by vampires or canceled on account of demons. Very cool. She ordered and paid for it with the bills that Pike had insisted on handing her, and took the cones carefully back to the table.

"Here you go," Buffy leaned down so Pike could get his and Elena's cones. "Ooops - I mean 'your order, sir'."

"Gracias."

They sat and watched the tourists in silence for awhile, eating. Finally, "This is... nice," Buffy said. "Definitely nice."

"Agreed," Pike said. "Good to do this with with company for a change." He ruffled Elena's hair, getting a face made at him for his efforts. "Adult company, I mean."

"I'd be nodding except that that would get me an ice cream mustache, so I won't," Buffy said, nibbling on her cone. "Except for the 'I've never done this with a kid' part, anyway."

"You'd never know you weren't a natural," he assured her. "I say: see the fishes, then we have enough time for a walk along the beach followed by dinner. Then it'll be time to head back home."

"Sounds like a plan," she agreed.

Later, after all of the fish had been suitably admired or 'yucked' over by Elena, they settled near sunset into a spot to sit and watch while she toddled along the edge of the foam, poking at shells and shore debris.

"I'm _still_ finding it hard to believe you have a kid," Buffy remarked. "_And_ that you're actually a good dad, it looks like."

"Ah! You sound so surprised - I'm all wounded now," Pike threw his head back, laughing. He cut his eyes sidelong at her, saying, "I _was_ kind of a waste in high school, wasn't I."

"No! Well... yeah," Buffy nodded. "But you came through when it counted, with Lothos and all, so, _like_, not _complete_ loser hood or anything." She caught his grin getting wider the more she said and broke off abruptly, reddening.

"Hah! No, it's all right," Pike cut over any attempt at damage control she might have stammered out. "I've come to terms with my high school loser-hood and I've embraced it."

"Well, yeah, but you've all growed up since then," Buffy said, laughing. "And gotten like parenthood and ooh - shoulders! and those little crinkly places at the edge of your eyes and I'm shutting up now before I put both feet in."

"Shoulders, huh?"

"Oh sure, seize on that _one_ thing... "

"Benefits of hoisting engine blocks and working offshore that one summer," Pike grinned. "And for the growing up, if our last months at Hemery weren't enough to do it," he pointed at where Elena was squatting on her haunches and poking a strand of kelp with a skinny piece of driftwood, "There's your culprit."

"Told you those sales were dangerous," Buffy said, nodding.

"Wouldn't trade it for... well, anything, really." They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a bit, and Pike studied his ring. Finally, he said quietly, "We met in San Diego near where I was working after I moved there post-Hemery. We started seeing each other, and then dating after she discovered the pre-packaged thing didn't bother me any. Got married a few months later when I came back off the rigs."

Buffy nodded encouragingly. "Mechanic then?" She asked.

"Diesel mechanic, yup. Took a three month contract on one of the offshore platforms for the pay," Pike said. "All in all, it was just about the happiest year or so I've ever had. Until... " he trailed off with a shrug and an apologetic look. Buffy winced slightly.

It sounded - was - far enough removed from Buffy's last year in Sunnydale that it was like listening to an account of a Mars expedition. More or less normal life aside from the implicit unhappy ending. She sighed, and watched Elena play for a few minutes.

"Mine was tall, dark, brooding and older. Lots older," Buffy said, finally. Pike's turn to make an encouraging noise, and he did. "Typical girl meets boy, girl and boy fall in love, boy turns psychotically evil and slaughters half of Sunnydale story."

"Ouch," Pike said.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "Or if you look at it a different way, your typical vampire meets girl, kills girl, gets cursed with a soul, meets Vampire Slayer and falls in love story. Only I didn't know he was a vampire, much less the souly thing until after I'd already fallen head over heels."

Watching the ocean and remembering, Buffy didn't realize Pike had gone very still and very silent sitting next to her. She wasn't looking at him or she'd have seen the wince, and then the hard look come over his eyes, quickly hidden.

"So Angel - his name was Angel - celebrated his happy time by waking up evil and non-souly, stalking me and my mom, terrorizing my friends, and killing my Watcher's girlfriend and another Slayer before I finally had to stick a sword in him and shove him through a portal to Hell. And then I left."

"Ok, well, that tops mine," Pike said, his voice sounding a bit odd.

"Really wasn't trying to make it a contest," Buffy said apologetically.

"No problem," Pike nodded. "So... that's why you quit being the Slayer and came back to LA?"

"Yeah," Buffy sighed. "Because I did such a great job at it that last year, you know?" It came out sounding petulant, and bitter, and she wasn't sure how to change her tone, or if she wanted to. "If I'd done any better, he'd probably have killed the rest of my friends and family before I got around to doing what I had to."

"Rough," was the only comment.

"One word for it," Buffy shook her head. "I... couldn't face them after. And I couldn't deal with it, and I didn't want to be the Slayer any more. Never did, really."

"These stories just never end well."

**...**

_**Wednesday August 26, 1998; Chase Manor pool house, late night.**_

"'Nother night, another patrol down," Faith observed. Lounging by the Chase pool with Cordelia and Harris, she felt lazy, peaceful, and extremely relaxed. Also more than a bit surreal: the surroundings and under-lit water of the near Olympic style pool was so far removed from South Boston that it might as well have been on another planet.

"And another six dusted vamps - most of them yours," Cordelia said.

"Yeah," Faith nodded. "Be glad when Oz is ready to go out again, but not so much he needs to break those ribs doing it."

"Oh well," Xander picked up his soft drink from the tiles next to his lounger. "He'll be out for a bit anyway in another week or so."

Cordelia nodded and Faith raised her eyebrows. Xander added, "The wolf thing. Full moon's early September sometime."

"Ah." Faith nodded. "I wasn't keeping track."

"Good thing Oz does," Cordelia said, grinning. "Would _so_ suck otherwise. Drink refills, anyone?" She stood up, heading towards the wet bar area.

Xander and Faith waggled their near empties, and watched her bikini clad rear stroll across the tiles, exchanging appreciative smirks. "Perverts," Cordelia called back over her shoulder. "And yes, I do mean _both_ of you."

Faith shook her head, grinning. "We hate to see her leave -"

"But, man, we sure do _love_ to watch her walk away," Xander finished, leaning over to clink his soda can with Faith's.

"Damn' straight," Faith nodded, laughing.

"Jeeze, the dweeb was right about something for once," Cordelia said, heading back with the drinks. "You _are_ a guy with girl parts."

"No, I'm a _girl_ with guy tastes," Faith corrected her, leering.

"Not sure that's an improvement," Cordelia remarked. "But, since you _do_ have the exceptionally good sense to appreciate the magnificence that is Cordelia Chase, I'll just have to learn to live with it." She leaned over and gave Xander a deep kiss before settling back in her lounger and passing out the cold drinks.

"Hey! Where's mine?" Faith said, pouting.

"Suffer," Xander suggested at the same time as Cordelia said, "Don't push your luck."

Glowering at Xander, Faith said, "You _will_ get yours, Goofball."

"Oh, I certainly hope so," Xander agreed in a fervent tone.

"Speaking of," Cordelia's eyes narrowed, "Are we still on for Project Xander Makeover?"

"Oh, you bet," Faith winked at her from across Xander. Xander's eyes widened in alarm...

"Ah! Don't start," Cordelia warned as Xander opened his mouth. "If we're really going to come out of the Janitor's Closet and date openly, we're going to use some of your ill-gotten gains to upgrade the wardrobe."

"Janitor's closet?" Faith's eyes widened.

"But... " Xander started, then trailed off. With the attention - and smirks - of both girls riveted on him, his expression was starting to resemble that of a deer looking down the maw of an oncoming semi. "I like my clothes," he said in a weak voice.

"Girl's right, you know," Faith stated. "If you're going to have the two hottest babes in Sunnydale on your arms, you've _got_ to lose the Steve Urkel look."

"But... " Xander began again, then stopped, swallowing hard. "Two hottest... ?"

"Damn straight," Cordelia said. "Maybe in all California, not just Sunnydale," she winked at Faith.

"But - can't I just move full time to the black fatigues look?" Xander said, darting glances from one girl to the other. "_You_ yourself said it was hot - 'turned you on' was the phrase you used," he ventured.

Cordelia huffed. "_Only_ if you want Principle Snyder thinking you've gone all Right-wing militia on him," she said.

"Not that that might not be entertaining, but... " Faith shook her head.

"I can't afford a whole new wardrobe!" Xander protested, playing his final card.

"Girlfriend there's got a wicked eye for a markdown, guy," Faith rolled her eyes. "And she can out-dicker a Greek fish seller."

Snorting gently at the testimonial, Cordelia trumped Xander's final card, "Remember the reward system?" Xander nodded, and she said, "After we get you taken care of, you get to have final say on mine and Faith's Victoria's purchases when we model them for you."

"Secret?!" Xander squeaked, his eyes glazing over. "V-v-vi-victoria's Secret?" His voice cracked on the last word.

"There's another?" Cordelia lifted her eyebrows, leaning back and closing her eyes with the air of a satisfied cat.

"Just Bare, maybe?" Faith suggested with an eyebrow waggle.

Cordelia shook her head, "Have to leave something for future encouragement."

sigh Xander rolled his eyes at Faith's smirk and gave up, "Fine. Lead me to my doom. When do you want to perform the Ritual Xander Emasculation?"

"There there," Faith patted him on the stomach. "Look at it his way: you're not losing your manhood - you're getting a coolectomy." He didn't look mollified.

Cordelia cracked an eye open, "We'd have to give him some before we could remove it."

"Hmmm. Coolostomy?"

"_That_ sounds like a fashionable bag attached to his kidneys with tubes." Cordelia frowned, then shrugged. The interesting things that that did to her upper chest dried up Xander's further protestations. "Let's see... how about Friday? Last free day before the parental units get back?"

"Works," Faith said. She frowned at that, settling against the back of the lounger and drawing her knees up with a sigh.

"Wow." Cordelia sat up, giving her a curious look, "That sounded like someone let all the air out of you."

Cordelia and Xander exchanged glances, Cordelia pursing her lips thoughtfully. Xander opened his mouth, possibly to ask, and Cordelia gave him a fractional shake of the head.

"Naw," Faith rested her head on her knees, looking out over the pool. "Just thinking... "

"Ah." Xander gave a sage nod. "Nasty habit, that. I try to avoid it."

"Yeah," Faith's lips quirked up and she nodded. "We've noticed."

"I'd resent that, but I set myself up for it."

"Hey! No moping," Cordelia smiled, swatting Xander lightly on the abs. "We just got Xander to agree to playing Dress-up Xan -" she ignored Xander's grumbled 'like I had a choice?' and continued on, "I say that once the parents get settled in and I take care of all the 'loving daughter' stuff, we all three head up to our place at Cachuma for several days and get in some _real_ vacation before school starts."

Faith's eyebrows lifted and she turned her head to look at Cordelia. "See the horse?"

"Definitely."

**...**

_**Wednesday August 26, 1998; Los Angeles, Buffy's apartment, night.**_

They ended up back at Buffy's apartment following dinner at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and the long drive back. Pike had been quiet for a time, but during dinner he'd gotten back to his normal funny and good humored self, or so it'd seemed.

Leaving Elena asleep in her car seat in the pickup, Pike walked Buffy up to her apartment, stopping at the doorway while she dug out her keys.

"Even better than our last not-a-date," Buffy said. She put her palm against Pike's chest and leaned forward, her eyes closed and her head tilted up slightly.

It came as a shock to her when Pike made a groaning sound and stopped her with his hands on her upper arms. She opened her eyes, startled, to see him shaking his head slightly.

"I can't do this, I'm sorry," he said.

"What?" Buffy's eyes widened. Her voice came out slightly hoarse.

"This," Pike stepped back a bit. "I thought I could, but I can't."

"I don't understand," Buffy shook her head, "I thought we had such a good time?"

"We did. I did. It's just... " Pike ran his hands through his hair, and said, "Arrgh. I didn't even think to realize it might be a vampire you were talking about before. I can't deal with that - I don't even know _how_ to feel about that."

"Ah," Buffy nodded. She felt heat at the back of her eyes and tried very hard to not let it spill to the surface.

"My wife - Elena's mother - was killed by a vampire. And _turned_ - I had to stake her myself," Pike shoved his hands in his pockets, looking as miserable as Buffy felt right then. "You - you _kill_ vampires. _We_ kill vampires, like at Hemery at the end. You're not _supposed_ to fall in love with them."

"I know!" The heat came up to the surface anyway, and spilled over. Buffy brushed at her eyes irritably, "You think I _wanted_ to have a doomed love affair with a two-hundred and forty something year old vampire? You're not saying anything I haven't told myself over and over again during the last year."

"Yeah," Pike nodded. "Guess so."

"Really," Buffy said, earnestly. "It's _not_ like I have some necrophobiac thingy or something."

"'Philiac," Pike said, somewhat absently.

"Huh?"

"Necrophiliac. Necrophobic is afraid of corpses."

"Oh. Right." Buffy bit her lower lip. "I don't have that either," she added, a bit lamely.

"And that's really not important, huh?" Pike looked away, "Look - I really like you, Buffy. Have since we met at Hemery. But I can't deal with this right now. Not until I've had a chance to sort the inside of my head out, ok?"

"Right," Buffy nodded, numbly. "If it helps, I like you a lot too."

"Yeah. No," he shook his head. "I'm really trying to not be a dick, here. It's not fair to you. I need... just give me some time to get my head sorted out, and we can talk, maybe."

"But... " Buffy trailed off as Pike shook his head again, turning away. She watched him head down the stairs, and then listened after until she heard the pickup truck door open and shut, and the engine start. And then after as it drove away towards Pike's apartment. "But... "


	4. Chapter 3: They Named It What?

**Chapter 3: They Named It What?**

_**Thursday August 27, 1998; Sunnydale High School Library, early afternoon.**_

"Hey guys," Faith said, dumping her gear bag on a chair by the big table. "How's the ribs?" She gave Oz a critical once over from sneakers - currently crossed at the ankles on the edge of the table top - to bright green hair and matching nails.

"Tender, but not quite achieving baby-back status yet," Oz stated. "Back up for patrols soon."

"Coolness," Faith grinned, glancing over at Willow. "Hey, Red - that's pretty wicked." She cocked her head slightly, watching as Willow rotated a thick pencil between her palms some eight inches above the table top with a frown of concentration.

Willow let out her breath with a sigh, allowing the pencil to clatter to the table top, "Thanks!" She grinned, "I can set things on fire too - well, so far only a bedspread, but that was an accident and... "

"Breathe, Willow," Faith and Oz said almost in unison, then snickered, looking at each other.

"Err, oops? Sorry - I get excited," Willow remarked. A frown creased her forehead and she bit her lip suddenly, looking glum.

"Hey - whatever I said to make your face just fall over, I didn't mean it, honest," Faith said, spreading her hands.

"Not you, Giles," Oz explained.

"Yeah. He took inventory before starting the training thing and made me bring back all of the books I err, borrowed to study," Willow said.

"Ah. Well, you know how these Watcher types are about their books," Faith said. "Here you go," she dug a stake out of one of the pockets on the gear bag, setting it on the table, "Try this."

Willow gave it a dubious look, but stared at it, her forehead creasing in concentration. The stake sat there studiously ignoring her for several minutes before it began vibrating gently, then jiggling with a bit more agitation.

After another minute, a bead of sweat ran down Willow's forehead and the stake suddenly lifted several inches from the table top - and shot off at high velocity to embed itself in the library wall near the door. Willow gave a small squeak of alarm and turned pale, then red.

"Whoa," Faith looked between the embedded stake and Willow several times, slowly. "I'm gonna stand behind you when you practice that one for awhile."

"Umm, oops?" Wilow managed after a moment. Oz gave her a reassuring squeeze of the shoulder.

"Hey, no worries," Faith said. "You get the hang of that one, and there's your no muss, no fuss remote vamp dusting. Don't even need to reload a crossbow."

"Ehrmm," Giles appeared at the main counter, his eyebrows raised as he surveyed the embedded stake, then the teens. Oz hastily removed his shoes from the table, wincing slightly at the movement. Willow shrank farther into her chair.

"Err, my fault, Giles," Faith said. She grinned weakly, "No real harm done?"

"No, no major harm, I guess," Giles sighed heavily, removing his glasses for an unneeded polishing. "We can tell Principal Snyder i-it's a beginning coat rack, I suppose."

"I'm gonna cut my losses before you draft me to tell him," Faith said, smirking.

"Quite," Giles said, giving her a disapproving glare that was completely ruined by the slight smile twitching at his lips. His next statement, whatever it might have been, was interrupted by Xander and Cordelia bustling through the main doors.

Cordelia spotted the stake and raised her eyebrows in Faith's direction. "Throw the stakes at the vampires, not the paneling," she suggested.

"It slipped," Faith shrugged, tossing a wink at the embarrassed Willow.

"Piping hot from Smith Brothers," Xander announced, setting several boxes of donuts on the end of the table as Cordelia pulled out chairs.

"Any jellies?" Giles came around the counter with an interested expression.

"Just for you, G-man," Xander said, snagging several glazed before dropping into one of the chairs. "Get 'em before Faith scarfs them all."

"Naw, I'm a bear claw girl, myself," Faith said. She grabbed a couple of those, dropping into a chair of her own as Giles began looking for his jelly donuts.

"So, did your patrol bear any fruit last night?" Giles asked, taking a rather fastidious bite of his pastry.

"Not unless you call coming up lemons a fruit," Xander said. He frowned, "Oh wait - that is a fruit. Then, no."

Cordelia shot him a look that screamed 'lamer' in THX, "Several vamps, and some kind of weird goblin like demon," she said.

"But on the other thing? Naw," Faith concluded. Shaking her head, she said, "Not really interested in heading to LA to track this down at the source. And really not liking the idea of combing the sewers for it."

Giles nodded agreement. "Perhaps something will err, break, as it were."

"I'm not really sure what we can do to help on the research end," Willow said.

"Oh well," Faith shrugged. "Sometimes it's brains, sometimes it's brute force. No worries." She brightened, adding, "There's a lower end demon bar out by the docks, supposedly. After we get done with dinner at Mrs. S's, we can shake it down and see if anything breaks loose." Faith cracked her knuckles, grinning.

"Lower end than Willy's?" Cordelia made a face. "Eeew."

"Unfortunately, I'm forced to agree with your assessment," Giles said. "That being the case, Willow and I shall continue our inquiries into locating a suitable spot for a training facility as time allows." Lowering his glasses, he looked over the rims at Faith with a slight smile, "Are you ready for training?

"Always, Giles," Faith bounced up.

"Excellent," Giles nodded approvingly. "I believe today we shall concentrate on your demon identification, if you would be so kind as to fetch the Barlow's Guides?"

"Aw, rats," Faith flopped back down, sticking her lower lip out. "That was just mean."

Xander snickered, "The sly smile - it's _always_ a warning," he said.

**...**

_**Thursday August 27, 1998; Los Angeles, Helen's Diner, afternoon.**_

To say Buffy slept badly after Pike drove off would have been an understatement of Hellmouthy proportions. She'd tossed, turned, and held long, inspired arguments with the Pike in her head, coming out victorious every time before blowing _him_ off... until she finally fell into fitful sleep late in the AM hours.

That was when the nightmares came out to play, complete with the Angelus in her head and each and every nasty close call her friends had had in almost two years of slaying.

Waking up completely unrested, with only some forty minutes to get ready and make it from her apartment to Helen's, she straggled into work just barely on time.

The bulk of the day crawled by in a hazy blur or orders, tables, and rude and grabby customers. Buffy caught herself stopping dead in place on occasion, muttering rather loudly under her breath, "I am _so_ not a necrophiliac, dammit!" Then coming back to herself with a start and staring around furtively to see if anyone had overheard her.

So far, no one seemed to have, but it was probably just a matter of time...

Towards late afternoon, she stuck an order on the wheel, turning around to find Janice almost at her elbow with a concerned expression.

"You alright today, honey?" Janice gave her a careful appraisal, her expression saying clearly 'the answer is no, but I won't say that'.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Buffy said, sighing. "Just a rough night."

"Happens," Janice nodded. "Look - We're busy and we don't have time for tea and sympathy. You've been acting like you're a million miles away, all day. Find yourself and get with it. We can talk later if you need to."

"I... " Buffy stared at the older waitress as the words brought back an eerie memory of her dream of a few nights ago. "I'll be ok. And I'll get back to reality, honest."

"Good," Janice gave her a decisive nod. "You have a booth, single. Go to it."

"Right." Buffy took out her oder pad and, spotting the new arrival, headed over to him. Pulling up at the booth with a forced cheery, "Welcome to Helen's, may I take your order?" she poised pen over pad and waited.

_'Wow'_ was her first thought. The man didn't look like much, scrawny, and as a matter of fact he looked like what she figured a racetrack tout might based on old movies, but those eyes... He flat had the brightest, most brilliant blue eyes she'd ever seen.

"That was quick," he remarked. "I was just barely having a seat here." She was struck first by the faint brogue, and then by the fact that it didn't remind her the least bit of Angelus - it was far too musical for the thuggish vampire.

"Hey, we're not good, but we are fast," Buffy quipped, smiling. "Actually, we _are_ good, too - really - so don't tell my boss I said that."

"That's good to be hearing. Secret's safe with me," he glanced at her name tag, "Err, Anne. And I'd be Doyle."

"Good. And good to meet you," Buffy nodded. "So, what'll you have?"

He smiled back, looking over the menu again before closing it. "Oh - let me have, let's see now... a patty melt. And how're the cheese fries?"

"Well, there's like lots of potatoes and cholesterol with cheese, so fine," Buffy stated. "If you like that in a fries and cheese thing."

"Good. I'll be having an order of those, then, with coffee. And lemon pie for dessert - that's important now."

Bufffy nodded, jotting it down. She brought him coffee after putting his ticket on the wheel, and then was kpt running by her other tables until her shift was over.

If she had a vague impression that the man with the eyes was watching her somewhat intently as she went about her rounds, between her trips back to his table for refills on his coffee and water, she never caught him at it. And when she looked to check later, she discovered he was gone, leaving money for his check and tip.

By the end of her day, she'd forgotten him completely except for a vague memory of brilliant blue eyes with a faint Irish accent.

**...**

_**Thursday August 27, 1998; Sunnydale, Summer's home and Waterfront area, night.**_

"Good feed, Mrs. S," Faith said. She leaned back in her chair with an arm across her stomach, grinning and trying her hardest not to belch. "Like always."

"Any time, Faith. I'm glad you enjoyed it," Joyce Summers smiled back, pouring herself another glass of tea from the table pitcher.

"Yup. The Thugette here knows her chow," Xander stated, glancing around at the empty plates and serving dish. "And my chow, and Willow's, and Cordelia's... "

Faith arched an eyebrow at Cordelia and said, "Kill him for me? I'm too bloated to move."

"Don't you dare," Joyce said, laughing, as Cordelia picked up a steak knife and tested the edge. "Not quite a capitol offense, and I know everyone had plenty, Xander."

"Plenty of Xander?" Oz lifted an eyebrow, "I thought it was pot roast, not Meatloaf."

Willow choked, caught laughing around a gulp of iced tea. "I've been zinged by Oz," Xander shook his head, sighing. "It's all downhill from here."

"Leave the plates, Faith. I'll get the boys to help me clear," Joyce shook her head. "So, where are you kids off to tonight? Patrol?"

"No, just the three Faithsketeers there," Willow said. Faith's eyebrows went up and she mouthed 'Faithsketeers?' at Cordelia. "Oz and I have a date," she continued.

"At least she didn't dub us 'Slayerettes'," Xander said, and Faith gave him a relieved smirk.

"Since Stan and Ollie there are too busy doing a road movie to answer you, Joyce," Cordelia put in, "We're picking up the Slaying slack while the love monkeys there loaf at the drive-in"

"Hey!" Willow said. "It is _not_ loafing - we've been getting plenty busy and -" Willow broke off suddenly as she noticed everyone looking at her with avid interest, and Joyce doing her level best to stifle laughter.

"Go Oz!" Faith said, waggling her eyebrows. "'Bout time, boy."

Oz gave Faith a bland look while Willow reddened, mumbling, "Imeantwe'vebeenbusy_researching_notslackingoffanddarnit... "

"And they say timing is everything," Xander observed. "It's ok, Will. _We_ know what you meant." His sympathetic tone was ruined by the exaggerated wink he threw Oz.

"I _am_ going to get you, you know," Willow said seriously. "I suppose you know this means War."

"Don't _make_ me sneak into your room and put the Rain Forest tape on while you're asleep, Will."

Dishes cleared away and desert put away, Joyce saw them out to the door afterwards. "Come back some time soon, you three," she told Faith, Xander and Cordelia. "And don't get _too_ busy, you two," she called out to Willow and oz as they got into Oz's van.

"Now that was just mean, Mrs. S," Faith said, laughing.

**...**

Somewhat later, on the other side of town in Sunnydale's small waterfront district, Faith put her hands on her hips and stared at the purported demon bar with unconcealed disdain. Cordelia gave it more of a dismayed expression.

"Man," Faith shook her head disgustedly. "I'd call this a dive, but that'd be unfair to self respecting dives the world over."

"Are you sure you got the directions right?" Cordelia asked, her tone hopeful. "'Cause, like, eww squared."

"It's the name that has me going," Xander smirked, pointing at the sign. "Squisher's Basement?"

"That mean something?" Faith's eyebrows lifted curiously.

"They stole it from a set of George R. R. Martin books called 'Wild Cards'," Xander explained. He frowned, then looked faintly ill, "At least I _hope_ they stole it. The alternative is disturbing and vaguely terrifying."

"Geek," Cordelia said, shaking her head. She sighed heavily and trailed after Faith down the short staircase leading into the bar.

Inside the bar was the motliest collection of demons - and a few possible humans - that Faith and the two Scoobies had yet seen in Sunnydale. Built into the main room's back wall was a huge tank containing murky water and a finned, gilled, vaguely humanoid-with-tentacles shaped being. The horned and ridged bartender scowled as they walked in. The tentacled humanoid gave them a jaunty wave from his reclining position in a lawn chair at the bottom of the tank.

"What do you want, humans?" the bartender rumbled at them from behind the bar. He/she gave their assortment of weapons something in between a glare and an amused look.

"Information, mostly," Faith said, smirking. "Drinks?"

"I wouldn't touch a drink in this place with _your_ lips," Cordelia said.

"Wuss," Faith remarked. A quartet of vamps in game face slid their chairs back from a table along one wall, standing up. Faith casually lowered her crossbow, putting a bolt into the wall beside the one closest to the rear 'Exit' sign. "Stick around, boys. Hate for you to miss anything," she said. "Next one goes into the tank," she added.

Roughly two-thirds of the bar patrons stood up more or less at once, some of them weaving. A low rumbling sound began somewhere near the back, and Faith's eyes lit up as she broke into a wide grin. She drew back the string on the compound crossbow casually, dropping in another bolt.

"Ummm... Faith?" Xander said. "Not to sound like a wuss or anything, but... "

A burbling voice came from the back in the direction of the big tank. "What sort of information are you looking for, human?" The rumbling subsided a bit.

It took Faith a moment to spot the speakers near the bottom front of the tank. "Slayer, not 'human'," she corrected, absently. "You err, Squisher?"

"No," there was something that might have been a moist chuckle from the speakers, or maybe indigestion. "But it'll do."

"Right," Faith said. "Looking for a source of this stuff," she held up one of the red packets, "Called Rage or Bloodrage. Like to know who he is and exactly where to find him."

"Dacascos," the burbling voice said. "Supposed new 'Master Vampire' in Sunnydale, after Spike left and Angelus... departed."

"No one here's going to know exactly where Dacascos' lair is," the bartender rumbled. "Not even those clowns," he added, pointing at the four vamps.

"Yeah?" Cordelia's eyebrows went up. "They seemed to be in such a hurry to leave, earlier."

"Hey, you want that sleaze bag, have at him," one of the vamps held her hands up, palms out. "We thought the Slayer was here for _us_." The others nodded vigorously, and all of them sat back down.

As it looked like the moment of imminent violence was passing, a number of the bar's patrons resumed their seats as well, many of them looking somewhat disappointed. Xander let out a muffled sigh of relief from behind Faith.

"Man... " Faith scowled, looking disgusted. "This is getting real old, real fast."

"If it helps any? He's supposed to have his main headquarters in the old tunnels," the tank's occupant gurgled, giving her an err, fluid shrug through the glass.

"Thanks. And no - it don't. We figured that one out already," Faith shook her head. "Was hoping for something more specific."

"Sorry," the voice sounded vaguely apologetic.

"Right," Faith said. "Oh well, gotta jet. Thanks, and laters." With Cordelia and Xander edging out behind her, she backed slowly out the door and into the stairwell.

Back at the car, Cordelia slumped heavily against the door of the convertible next to Xander. "We are _so_ going to have to have that 'better part of valor' talk, soon," she said, looking worriedly at Faith.

"What?! That was my kind of place."

"Dangerous and sleazy?" Xander suggested.

"You a funny guy, guy," Faith smirked. "Naw - just a bunch of sailors and longshoremen out for a good time, is all."


	5. Chapter 4: Makeovers and Revampings

**Chapter 4: Makeovers and Revampings -**

_**Friday August 28, 1998; Sunnydale Ridgecrest Mall, morning/early-afternoon.**_

Walking back to her friends with handfuls of her own purchases, Faith stopped dead when she saw Cordelia and Harris loitering in one of the bench areas. She'd broken off to grab a few things she'd had her eye on while Cordy was talking Xander into hitting the stylist, figuring it gave her plenty of time to get done and back.

Her eyes widening slightly, she arched her eyebrows at Cordelia, "Where'd you lose the boytoy, C? And who's the hunk?"

"Oh, I traded _him_ in on a newer model," Cordelia said, making an airy gesture as Xander rolled his eyes theatrically. "You like?"

"Man... " Setting her bags down, Faith put her hands on her hips, cocking her head slightly. "Step out over here a little ways, guy."

"Oh for... " Xander sighed heavily, and took three long steps out as Cordelia beamed at him. "Yessum. Isa stepping over, boss." He crossed his arms belligerently with a put upon expression.

Planting a smirk firmly in place, Faith sauntered casually around him in a slow circle, making a big production out of eying him from toes to top like a side of beef. Gone were the baggy pants and t-shirt/Hawaiian shirt combo and the scraggly hair. In their place was a pair of gray stonewashed cargo style jeans, a black t-shirt with an open, light Heather colored denim shirt over, and a dark brown bomber style jacket. The longish dark hair was cut artfully shaggy and had that natural 'just woke up' look to it with no gel or mousse. A pair of dark brown Doc Martens completed the outfit. She knew the stack of shopping bags piled on the nearby bench held similar combinations from their earlier shopping run, as well as a waist-length, Aussie style drover's coat for winter wear.

Finally coming to rest back in front of him, she glanced at Cordelia and winked. "Day-um," Faith nodded. "Had my doubts, but you have a _definite_ talent for bringing out the salty goodness there, girl."

"See? I told you it wa- " Xander started. He broke off abruptly with a startled look, his mouth half open. "Salty goo- ?"

"Eew. Goodness, not 'goo', dorksome," Cordelia said, laughing. "And yes, it is a talent." She gave Xander a critical look, "But the raw materials were under there all the time, or the talent wouldn't matter."

"Huh," Xander's eyebrows went up, "You really think it works?" He turned, angling so he could see himself in one of the mirrored wall sections nearby.

"And in 3.2 seconds, the male vanity kicks in," Faith observed dryly. She grinned, "Oh yeah. Definitely." Giving him a low wolf-whistle, she waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, _fine_," Cordelia rolled her eyes, giving Xander a swat on the biceps. "_Her_ you believe. _Me_, I get the arguments and incredulity."

"Of _course_ you'd like it, _you_ picked it out," Xander said. He trailed off at Cordelia's expression and glanced helplessly to Faith, "And I'm really not helping things, right?"

"Was planning on handing you a bigger shovel, yup," Faith nodded vigorously. "I think the right thing to say is 'Thank you Cordy', and then just clam up and bask in the appreciation the female hotness throws your way."

Xander relaxed a bit, but still grumbled, "Kinda hard when the female hotness was helping me pick out underwear."

"Only kinda hard? Really?" Faith smirked, and Cordelia stuffed the edge of her hand in her mouth behind Xander's back, stifling laughter. "Hey," Faith cut across Xander's half outraged, half embarrassed expression, "Guys have been picking out gals underwear for centuries - why not let _us_ have some of the fun?"

"And we didn't break your bankroll like you were afraid of," Cordelia said. "Of course, it's not Lauren or really even designer, but... " she gave him a once over, "It'll do for Sunnydale High."

"Oh, I'm so glad I finally meet the Queen's approval," Xander snarked back. "At least you didn't go for my hyena wear look, or what I was told about it," he shuddered.

"Oh, those colors and styles were _so_ not you, no matter _how_ cool the Elvis Xander look was," Cordelia sniffed. "You're much more the bomber jacket and Indiana Jones casual than Rebel Without a Clue."

"Ok, that's another time I've heard this hyena/Elvis Xander mentioned," Faith said. "I am gonna _have_ to hear this story now."

Xander grew a trapped expression as Cordelia said, "Over lunch. Or on patrol later." She glanced at Faith's legs and feet, "I see you hit the Harley shop for those boots you had your eye on."

"Yup," Faith held out a foot and waggled the dressy boot on it. She jerked her head towards one of the sacks, "And a pair of Faded Glory steel toes for patrol wear, and that shirt you liked so much." Grinning, she added, "Since I got enough to live on for awhile from the nests we've hit, means my Council stipend can go for clothes." Tilting her head thoughtfully, she added, "Have to hit it again on the way out to grab Xan some patrol boots."

"Speaking of food and underwear," Xander said, cutting in, "Food court and then reward time?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Sounds like a plan," Faith grabbed her bags and some of Cordelia's, waiting while Xander picked up his and the rest of Cordelia's at Cordy's imperious gesture. "One thing missing," she remarked, "Some rough wear jeans and stuff for patrolling."

"Got that covered," Cordelia said, plowing over Xander's sudden panic-stop at the mention of more shopping. "That's what the old outfits can go for, and the sexy black fatigues stuff."

"At least you like _some_ of my clothes," Xander grumbled. Faith caught several girls giving him the eye as they headed down the mall corridor, and exchanged satisfied smirks with Cordelia.

Cordelia nodded, "Probably a good _thing_ he's completely clueless," she remarked. "Else his ego would go through the roof here soon." Faith snickered.

"Huh?" Xander's head whipped around to stare at her.

"Nothing, Goof. Carry on."

**...**

_**From the personal Journals of Rupert Giles, Watcher:**_

_I've remarked often in these pages, recently, that I am in no way comfortable with nor really suited to dealing with children on a regular basis - especially outside of the confines of the traditional Watcher/Slayer relationship that my training strove to prepare me for._

_'Inadequately prepare me for', I might amend that to. Since my arrival in Sunnydale and my first meeting with Buffy Summers, I can definitively state that __nothing__ has proceeded even remotely along the lines for which my training was designed to lead me to expect. We very __badly__ need to completely overhaul and revise the Watcher's curriculum at some point in light of the requirements of today's Slayer and her associates. Unfortunately, I fear that that will be an uphill struggle against the entrenched members of Traver's old school cronies that I am as ill equipped to pursue as I am for acting en loco parentis to teenagers._

_Faith's arrival has done little to disabuse me of the opinion that the Slayer's Handbook was not in __any__ way designed for modern Slayers, especially not American ones. Watching as she integrates into our little group continues to bemuse me to no small degree: I often find myself wondering if I am not learning as much or more from the experience of acting as her interim Watcher as she is from me._

_I shall say one thing for the experiences of this summer: I no longer find myself somewhat envious of Samuel Zabuto for having had the experience of training a 'traditional Slayer' in young Kendra. Instead, I rather pity him that he shall never have the experiences that I have had in this, no matter how unsettling I often find them to be._

_The only potential Hellmouth crisis of note that bears mentioning is the continuing search for the source of the peculiar vampiric narcotic that Faith and her compatriots uncovered. While a disturbing thing in and of itself, it seems rather lacking in world ending potential. After having observed these youngsters deal with far more dangerous situations over the past month, I have little fear that they will be successful in containing it somehow._

_Faith's impulsiveness continues to be a concern for me. While far from unintelligent – quite to the contrary, I believe she is very intelligent despite the mannerisms she affects to disguise this fact – she does have a distinct tendency to not always think things through before leaping. As with Buffy, I am uncertain as to just how much and how strongly to push on some topics without risking having Faith rebel or withdraw completely. I fear that a large part of my training with her shall be in the nature of determining tactful ways to stress the importance of learning to weigh risks and determine how to separate the acceptable and unavoidable risks from the foolhardy ones._

_On other topics, a missive from the Council's accounting department arrived early this morning informing me of their approval of my requests for additional funding to establish a training facility. Ostensibly it is for Faith's training, and for Buffy's if she should yet return to us - I fear that I was somewhat remiss in informing them of my intentions to also offer instruction to Buffy's 'Scoobies' as well. (Faith's 'Scoobies' now, perhaps? One does wonder... ) Ah well. As in my keeping of a private journal in which to note observations I deem inappropriate for inclusion in my Official Watcher's diary, it is my belief that what Accounting doesn't know shan't harm anyone. In preparation for this endeavor, I have also taken it upon myself to sort through and choose the best an most useful weapons and other items garnered from things recovered after various of Buffy's demonic encounters and battles to supplement my weapon stocks._

_It has to be noted here that, surprisingly, I rather find myself looking forward to this. While I am certainly no Shigero Kanno, the concept of passing on my meager skills to others who may find them of use rather pleases me._

_As well, so does the awareness that the impetus for this project originated in an oblique and offhand comment made by Faith early after her arrival here. The look of startled appreciation, quickly hidden, from her when I mentioned setting this into motion was priceless. I begin more and more to understand that the child has probably known very little in the way of approval in her young life: even the most minimalist of praise or congratulations has greater effect than the most lavish of praise upon some children._

_Upon some young men and women, I should say. I am often reminded of late of Faith's rather sharp offhand comment when we were preparing to deal with the Durslar Beast. These are __not__ children, and they have apparently not been such for quite some time now._

_Finding and acquiring practice weapons and training equipment may prove simpler of a task than that of locating a suitable magic teacher for instructing young Willow in the arts and precepts of witchcraft. I fear that she - and her parents as well - would be resistant to traveling to Devon to study with our Coven there, and while there are no end of practitioners in the California area, there does seem to be a dearth of qualified ones. While undeveloped as of yet and lacking in training, Willow's potential power may one day be quite impressive, even though she is not a 'natural witch' like young Amy Madison. A hedge witch or kitchen sorcerer wouldn't begin to have the knowledge to do justice to her training, and I wouldn't inflict some of the charlatans it has been my displeasure to encounter in this state upon anyone._

_I have made inquiries of several of my acquaintances and contacts, including the head of the Devon Coven, and possibly someone shall come to light. Of course, that leaves the problem of enticing them to wish to move to the Hellmouth to surmount. Very few White practitioners choose to inflict these environs upon themselves, and I assuredly cannot fault them for that._

_I've also managed to give some thought to my earlier musings upon the issue of Faith's continuing education, and believe I may have arrived at a possible solution that - hopefully - shall not result in threats of bodily harm to myself, nor her being alienated by the suggestion. All that I require now is a bit more research into what might be needed for this endeavor, and finding a suitable occasion to broach the subject with her._

_With the letter of Council approval for the funding, there also came a short missive from Quentin Travers. It seems that he would like for me to visit and observe the young California Potentials that my last attempt to magically locate Buffy uncovered. While I may possibly be reading entirely too much between the lines of his letter, it may be entirely possible that should they prove suitable candidates, one or more of those might be allocated to the Hellmouth to be trained. Or perhaps not: I find it difficult to believe that Travers would wish to place untrained Potentials under what he deems 'my overly permissive and unconventional influence' for possible corruption. We shall see, I suppose._

_Having gathered that Faith, Cordelia, and young Harris have been making plans to spend at least one week of vacation away from Sunnydale at the Chase's lake home, I shall schedule that trip for the days when they are away so as to not conflict with patrolling and researching needs when they __are__ present. I have no wish to again experience the rather sharp end of young Miss Chase's tongue on that subject._

_Once was __quite__ enough, thank you._

_- Rupert Giles, Watcher; In this Year of Our Lord 1998, August the 28th._

**...**

_**Friday August 28, 1998; Sunnydale Ridgecrest Mall, afternoon**_

"You guys need to go out to celebrate the New and Improved Xan-man tonight," Faith remarked. "Instead of patrolling. I can solo, honest." A more than slightly shell shocked and glazed over Xander trailed slightly behind them, loaded down with purchase bags, following their reward session/modeling spree/teasing fest for him at Victoria's Secret.

"Can't," Xander said reluctantly, shaking himself loose from his daze. "Last night at S&C before my end of summer notice is done. I can't afford to blow off a summer job I might need later."

"Rats," Cordelia said. "I forgot about that," she sighed, biting her lower lip.

"No worries. I'm not one to stand in the way of young lurve," Faith stated. "C and I'll do a short patrol til you get off, then I'll finish up while you guys go out and get your 'ungh' on."

"That's just _so_ romantic sounding," Xander smirked, rolling his eyes, "How can we possibly resist?"

"Resistance is futile," Cordelia said, snickering. She held out the keys as Faith and Xander set down the bags by the mall exit, "Go fetch the car, minion. And not one scratch on it, either."

Staring at her, Xander said, "You just made a Borg joke. And I have witnesses," he grinned, taking the keys. A step towards the door, he stopped, turning back and taking Cordelia by the waist to give her a long, slow kiss.

"Wow," she said. "I need to make lame jokes more often, huh?"

"Naw." Xander said. "I know I don't say this often, but I really _do_ like you a lot, and appreciate everything you've been doing." Both of them ignored Faith's smirk and murmured 'awwwwwww' noises. "Don't know how I got this lucky, but I'm glad I did," he gave her a lopsided grin.

"Well," Codelia said, "Don't tell anyone, but I wouldn't give up a trip to Mexico for just _any_ geek, you know." She reached up and ruffled her hands through his new haircut, kissing him back.

"Hey!" Xander jumped back, "Now look what you've done!"

"Oh, relax, dweeb," Cordelia said, laughing. "I thought of everything - just run a brush through it and it falls right back in place." Xander smirked and headed out to go get the convertible.

"Awww."

"Hush, you."

"But gee, Cordy, when are you gonna take _me_ out to play dress up and give me smoochies, huh?" Faith batted her eyelashes.

"Try _never_, at this rate."

**...**

_**Friday August 28, 1998; Sunnydale, Warehouse District in the area of the Bronze, night.**_

"Vamp," Faith remarked. She felt more than saw Cordelia' head come around, eyes searching like radar. "Ahead, other side of the street, near the alley mouth, the fashion reject."

"I see him," Cordelia nodded, taking a firmer grip on her weapons bag. She fell in easily alongside the Slayer, maintaining a light and steady chatter as Faith angled across the street to hit the other sidewalk behind the prowling vampire.

Not needing more than her slayer sense to track the vamp, Faith let a portion of her attention drift to studying her friend. No, her _hunting partner_, she corrected herself. Away from the other Scoobies, Cordelia was so completely different from the Queen C most of them were used to that Faith doubted they'd recognize her. She didn't need to glance sidelong at the other girl to register the changes, she'd seen them before. Hell, she could _feel_ them. The brightly vicious commentary was _camouflage_ now, distracting from the walk and the hunting garb, like a leopard's rosettes. The valley girl mannerisms and carriage was replaced by the deceptively lazy grace of a leopard's prowl as well. The toffee colored eyes would be endlessly roving, all of the normal warmth in them replaced by the passionless, calculating gaze of a lioness measuring its surroundings for threat or prey. Faith had seen the same look in her own coffee colored eyes starting back from the mirror too often to mistake it for anything else, in _anyone_ else.

She'd seen it the first night in Restfield when beneath the scream and the outwardly panicked retreat, the cheerleader's eyes and stance had been coldly calculating as she brought the sharpened stave up into the vamp that had gotten past Harris. Seen it in the way the girl had then been weighing and discarding opportunities to stake the one on her embattled boyfriend even before Faith had entered the fray, making the point moot.

What Faith _couldn't_ quite wrap her head around was how the others, especially the Watcher and the previous Slayer had _missed_ it in all the time before.

Not for the first time it occurred to her that it was too bad Cordelia hadn't been Called: she'd have made a born Slayer. When they got around to the training Giles was working on, the girl'd be downright dangerous after a bit, Slayer or no.

Faith timed it just right: they hit the opposite sidewalk barely a half block behind the slow moving vamp. Cordelia's chatter fell away as they stepped onto the curb, and they drifted up on him in lazy silence, the vamp's attention completely on the two-legged meal he was stalking a half block ahead of him.

A pity that, for him.

Faith took him at the mouth of the alley, nailing him in a sudden rush with a linebacker's tackle around the midsection that carried both of them into the alleyway, going ass over teakettle across the concrete. Faith ended the roll on top, picking the stunned vamp up with a doubled fistful of bunched shirt front and hurling him bodily into one of the alley walls. He hit and bounced, only to have five-foot-five-inches and some hundred plus pounds of brunette Slayer crash into him in a blur of fists, elbows, and knees, crowding him against the wall while tucking her head in, and pounding his chest and midsection into mush and bone splinters.

She stepped back and kicked his knee out from under him as he stumbled forward, putting him down with an elbow to his back and coming down on him with one knee to torque one wrist around behind him in an arm lock.

Faith threw a wild, exhilarated grin at Cordelia as the cheerleader drew up next to them, drawing a super-soaker and one of the arrow air-guns from the weapons bag and standing ready.

"Ok, chump," Faith said. She grabbed a fist full of the weakly snarling vamp's hair and slammed his face into the concrete once, sharply, for emphasis. "Question and answer time. Dacascos: where's he holed up and where do I find his lair?"

"Doan know," the vamp managed between groans. "No idea."

"Wrong answer," Faith stated. She slammed his face into the alley floor again. "Dacascos: where and where?"

"I don't know, dammit!"

"Wrong answer," Faith said again. She glanced over at Cordelia, easily controlling the struggling vamp, "Give him a blast, maybe it'll loosen a memory."

The vamp screamed and smoked as a jet from the water gun splashed his face and upper chest. Faith paid it no mind: Sunnydale cops almost never investigated screams coming from alleys in this part of town. Not after dark.

"I'll ask again," she remarked. "Keep in mind: you're running out of unmelted skin."

After a few more long, fruitless minutes, Cordelia cocked her head, meeting Faith's eyes with an expressionless gaze of her own. "I don't think he knows anything, just like the other three," she said.

"Getting the same feeling," Faith said. She let go of the smoking vamp's hair, reaching around behind her for her stake. Stepping up and back, she staked him through the heart as she came up, replacing the stake in her waistband as she sidestepped the dust cloud. "Damn."

"Well, phooey," Cordelia remarked.

"Phooey?" Faith's eyebrows went up and she grinned.

"Not everyone has your gift for profanity," Cordelia said, snickering. "And _some_ of us have class."

A sound from the heavier darkness toward the other end of the alley drew both girl's attention, and Faith held up a hand for silence, senses straining into the night.

"You won't find Dacascos that way," a soft voice remarked from what sounded like an area near the shadowy bulk of a dumpster.

"Maybe, maybe not," Faith said, as Cordelia brought both weapons around to bear on the place the voice came from. Faith threw a quick glance the other direction, making certain nothing was moving in that way, and the alley mouth was still clear.

"You want to step out farther into the light so we can see you better?" Cordelia asked, softly.

"No, I really don't," the voice stated. "But if it'll make you feel better... "

A figure detached itself from the shadows on the other side of the alley from the dumpster, stepping out into the dim spill of street light coming into the alley mouth. _'Ventriloquist, nice trick,'_ Faith thought as Cordelia's weapons moved to the new direction. Female, about mid-way between Faith and Cordelia's heights maybe, with black, black hair with studs and piercings, and very very goth in makeup and dress. Combat boots, artfully torn vinyl cargo style pants with zippers revealing fishnet hose, elbow length lace fingerless gloves, short hair, and lots of rings in both ears. Curvy, heavy featured and a bit plain, but she had the look of being able to be _very_ attractive when she wanted to project it.

The girl stood with her hands well away from her body with the deceptively casual look of a rattlesnake. Hand, not hands, Faith noted. She was angled so that one hand wasn't completely visible. And _vamp_, not girl, Faith reminded herself.

"And I suppose from the goodness of your heart, you'll be interested in setting us straight on where to find this Dacascos, huh?" Faith said, studying the point of a stake that had somehow appeared in her hand again.

The goth vamp snorted, "Not much goodness in my heart, no. But I like Dacascos a lot less than I dislike Slayers and their Scoobie friends. Call it... " she cocked her head, "Enlightened self interest."

"So you give up Dacascos and we let you go on your way?" Cordelia angled her head slightly so Faith could see her lifted eyebrow as she asked the question.

"I'd like that, yes."

"Gotta name?" Faith asked, still apparently studying the stake's point.

"Call me Lena," the goth vamp stated. "And you're Faith, the new Slayer." She looked Faith over with the same studied casualness Faith was giving the stake point. "You're a lot different than the old Slayer, or so word has it."

"Sheila," Cordelia's voice sharpened suddenly with interest. "Took me a minute with the goth look, but the stance was familiar. You're a Shelia Martini, not a Lena."

"I used to be a Shelia," Lena stated. "Today I'm a Lena," she gave a casual one shouldered shrug. "Tomorrow I might be a Megan or an Annabel." She gave Cordelia a disgusted look, "And a freaking _Cordette_ saw straight through the new look, jeeze."

Cordelia gave a throaty sounding laugh, "I'm the _original_, not just a Cordette." Faith took a casual step to one side away from Cordelia. The goth vamp swiveled slightly, keeping angled onto the Slayer.

"Really, now," Lena/Shelia gave Cordelia a sharper look, followed by a snort. "The commando look threw me. I should've registered the designer labels."

"K.O.," Faith said, "So talk to me; why should I let you leave this alley as anything except dust buster fodder?"

"Because I'm not a part of yours, Buffy's, or the Scoobies little war, and I'm not a killer," Shelia stated. "You won't have a problem with me if you do. And because I can give you what you're looking for."

"Don't tell us, let me guess: you work at that delightful little suck-brothel," Cordelia said, snorting.

"Ha. I'm low class, cheerleader, not _no_ class," Shelia returned with a snort of her own. "Try again? Kewpie doll in it for you if you guess my weight, too."

Faith snickered, and Cordelia threw her an amused glance, saying, "They were passing out souls on the night of St. Vigeous and you caught one by mistake?"

"Dunno," Shelia gave the liquid, one shouldered shrug again. "It matter? I wasn't much of a 'good person' when I _had_ a soul - how could I tell?"

"This is entertaining as all Hell, but I'm gettin' bored," Faith remarked. "You planning to tell us how to find Dacascos' operation and lair?"

"Don't know it offhand, but I can find out a lot easier than you guys - I can go places down below that you can't," Shelia stated. "As soon as I get it, you will."

"Not good enough," Faith said, with a slight tinge of real regret in her tone. She took a long stride forward, moving lazily and fast, "We'll have to find it ourselves - I can't be responsible for whoever you might snack on while you're looking."

One moment she was drifting in as inexorably as a striking snake. The next, she was on the ground and convulsing, black star bursts going off behind her eyes as the hand she hadn't quite been able to see came up and around with a taser in it. Shelia was moving by then, with no windup: a fast, very low blur in Cordelia's direction. The arrow and the burst of holy water went over her and the stun gun Cordelia never saw her draw with the other hand jammed into the cheerleader's side as Shelia went past her.

Faith kind of vaguely heard the goth vamp's voice drift over from near the alley mouth as she was shaking off the taser jolt. "If I'd wanted you dead, both of you would be. Think about it."

Cordelia pushed herself up as Faith came back from the mouth of the alley a few moments later, standing on shaky legs. She gave Faith a look of flat disbelief, "You're _laughing_? After _that_?"

"Hey," Faith shrugged, "I like her, what can I say? Girl's got attitude _and_ moves."

"You are so _very_ nuts," Cordelia said, shaking her head. She started laughing, "It _must_ be catching: I like her better as a vamp than I did as our resident psycho student."

"Still gonna dust her first chance I get," Faith said, still grinning. "So, tell me about this Shelia chick."

"Spike grabbed her and evidently turned her before this St. Vigeous thingy," Cordelia said. "We thought Buffy dusted her when Spike and a bunch of vamps invaded Parent/Teacher night and killed a bunch of people."

"Apparently not," Faith said, dryly. "Think she's level?"

"About giving us Dacascos or the not eating people thing?" Cordelia asked.

"Both."

"Not sure, and not sure," she stated. "But she could have killed us if she'd wanted to, that's for sure. And we'd have seen her hunting at some point if she had been." Cordelia cocked her head slightly, looking thoughtful, "Give both a definite maybe."

Faith nodded, packing away the weapons in the bag and slinging it. "C'mon. Let's call it a night and go pick up Xan before we get our asses kicked by a Pomeranian next. That'd just be embarrassing."


	6. Chapter 5: Lives, yes, but are they real

**Chapter 5: ****Lives, yes, but are they real ones? **

_**Friday August 28, 1998; scenic promontory just outside Sunnydale, near midnight.**_

"Much better than before," Cordelia remarked as she pulled back slightly from an intense kiss, breathing hard. "I _do_ believe I actually have your full attention this time."

"Cordy? After that modeling exhibition, you not only have my undivided attention for the next year plus," Xander waggled his eyebrows, "But a starring role in my fantasy life well into the distant future even."

"Hmm," Cordelia said, smiling. "We'll have to inspire some more fantasies then," she leaned into him again.

"Wow," Xander broke off this time, groaning. "Oxygen issues," he said, panting heavily. "But of the good kind."

Smiling wickedly, Cordelia leaned back slightly to catch her own breath. She looked up, "And no full moon in sight _this_ time - I checked."

"Smart girl," Xander stated. That was followed with something that sounded like "ggnng!" as Cordelia leaned back against the driver's door of the convertible, leaving her blouse falling open and her skirt riding up over her thighs.

She arched her back, enjoying the way Xander's eyes were bugging out. "I gather you see something you like?"

"Oh yeah," he nodded feverishly. "Hey," Xander's gaze roamed over her chest, "I recognize those from this afternoon?"

"Well, I'd hope you'd recognize _those_ from before," Cordelia arched her eyebrows, then ruined the effect by laughing. "No point in buying it if it doesn't get worn for full effect."

"The effect is _very_ full now," Xander agreed.

"I'll have to check that in a minute," she said, then pouted. "Can't be _that_ full - you're still managing coherent speech."

"Mouth is on autopilot, brain not engaged anywhere near it," Xander said, smirking. He ran his hand along the inside of her thigh, and upwards.

"Must be a little bit engaged," Cordelia said, "Willow mentions haven't come out once yet."

"Willow who?" He gave her a puzzled look, then grinned. "Nope, no Willow thoughts."

Cordelia smirked, then gasped, her back arching a bit more. "Wh-who?" she murmured, squeaking slightly. "wow."

"I _am_ kinda concerned about Faith, though," he said. Cordelia's head came up, her eyes opening in a glare. Then she caught the flash of teeth in his half-grin and growled at him.

"Schmuck," she said, laughing. The laugh choked off into a gasp as her eyes widened, "Be... concerned all... you want," she said, "just don't stop that."

"Bet you say that to all the guys." Xander leaned forward, running his other hand along her ribs up under her open blouse. The gasping sounds intensified.

"And wow, again," Cordelia said, finally, sitting up. She grinned wickedly, "And how much of that was me _and_ Faith inspired, hmm?"

"I'm taking the fifth?" Xander's eyes widened. "But I have to say, the living arrangements have been _very_ fantasy inspiring."

"As long as they _stay_ fantasy," Cordelia said. She put her hands to his chest, leaning forward as she pushed him back against his door. "Bet I can remove all thought completely now," she purred, still smiling wickedly.

"No bets... I'm- ynng!" Xander's eyes rolled back and he gasped. "Hand! Cordy hand, in _interesting_ places."

"Relax and enjoy, dweebo." Cordelia knelt on the console leaning over him, one hand braced on the door frame next to his head. She bent into him, kissing him thoroughly. "Time for more fantasy inspiration," she said, pulling back slightly.

"E-exceeding, even," Xander agreed. His own hands busied themselves back under her blouse. "Hey," he managed to find his voice again, barely, "I thought you didn't want to have sex yet... ?"

"Oh, there's _lots_ of things that don't _quite_ involve sex," Cordelia said in a prim tone at odds with what they were doing. Her fingers tightened. "Your education is sadly lacking."

"Nnnggg!"

"For example... " Her head lowered as she slid backwards a bit.

"Huh. And... nnggg! Err, isn't this the point where the mad slasher usually comes into the scene?"

"Shut up, dweeb - I'm getting busy here."

**...**

_**Friday August 28, 1998; Willy's Alibi Room, near midnight.**_

The usual Friday night crowd at Willy's barely looked up at Faith's entrance, except to note her coming in before going back to their usual pursuits - most of which seemed to involve an intense focus on the big television and something on ESPN with far too much engine noise. Several vamp regulars at tables near the back went very still, rather than bolting. The icy glare Faith swept over them had 'give me a reason' written all over it, but she dismissed them with an abrupt nod after a few minutes.

"Willy," Faith said, laying her crossbow on the bar top and leaning against it.

"Slayer," Willy replied, sliding a glass of something green and bubbling to a customer.

"Regulars are barely shaking when I come in now," Faith remarked. "Not sure I like that."

"Maybe they've figured out you're only selectively homicidal?" Willy said, smirking. "Or it could have something to do with the money everyone has down on the race over there," he indicated the television.

"Why, and here I thought sports gambling was illegal in California," Faith shook her head, making a tsk'ing sound.

"Good thing you're not with the gambling authorities, now, isn't it?" Willy indicated the back office and motioned the other bartender to take over for him. "What can I do you for?"

Faith snagged his office chair, putting a foot on the seat and leaning forward with a forearm across her knee. "Looking for a line on this Dacascos character that's moving this red shit around," she stated.

Willy swore, loudly. His eyes widened a bit and he scowled, "Damn. I wished I'd known that tidbit - that would have been worth working off some of my debt here."

Faith cocked her head, studying him. She nodded abruptly, "What can you tell me about him?"

"Master vamp wannabe, moved in around a month or after Spike and Drusilla split," Willy said, shrugging. "Been playing it quiet and cagey since then - I just started hearing grumblings about him not too long ago."

"Grumblings?'

"He seems to of took time to establish a power base before throwing his weight around," Willy said. "Now that he is, a lot of the independents don't like the idea of having a new 'Master' in town."

Faith smirked, "And naturally, you'd of told me if you had heard about him before recently, right?"

Willy rolled his eyes, "We got a deal, right?" She nodded, and he said, "'Sides - _you_ actually make my pocket weigh more and don't cost me dental and repair bills. It's an improvement I'd hate to see change on me."

"Just so you remember that," Faith said, seriously. "I'd hate to have to change the ground rules on you, too." She smirked, "But you'd hate it more."

"Ha! Bet I would at that," Willy shook his head, "Play square with me, kiddo, and I'll do the same. Hey - where's all your friends tonight?"

"Flying solo, guy. They all have real lives and shit," Faith said, laughing.

"Poor kids," Willy smirked again, "Those things are dangerous. And expensive." He cocked his head, his eyes narrowing slightly, "Watch yourselves... now that this idiot's getting established, he's probably going to get cocky. Seems like every 'Master' wants to hang a slayer notch on his belt when that happens."

"Aww. All this concern's got me all choked up," Faith said. She grinned, "Get me a line on just where in the underground he's holed up, and I'll fix that problem."

**...**

_**Satuday August 29, 1998; Sunnydale High School Library, early afternoon.**_

"We come bearing donuts," Faith remarked, pushing open the library doors with her foot. She sauntered over, setting a couple of boxes in a clear spot on the table as Xander and Cordelia followed her in with another.

"Never look gift donuts in the box," Oz nodded approvingly.

"Hey guys," Willow said, smiling. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"Umm... Will?" Xander set his donut box down and waved his hand in front of his friend's face. Willow blinked slowly and squeaked.

"I think we broke her again," Faith said.

"Almost _no_ challenge in it any more," Cordelia said.

"But... " Willow swallowed, then looked from one to another of the three of them before her eyes went back to Xander.

"This is new," Oz remarked. "Unusual, even."

"What did you guys do to Xander?" Willow finally found her voice again. "He's all... all... " she made vague had gestures to expand on that.

"Will! It's still me, honest," Xander said, grinning. "Really."

"Boytoy shapes up pretty good, huh Red?" Faith grinned at the red head. Willow nodded, her eyes still big.

"I guess," Willow said, slowly. "It's just... kind of a shock, you know?" Cordelia frowned slightly, one arm around Xander's waist.

"Looks good," Oz put in, unexpectedly. "In a kind of a not-quite-GQ sort of way."

"Yeah, except with that whole 'my girlfriend dresses me' thing going for it," Xander remarked. Cordelia made a mock-outraged sound and bumped him with her hip. He threw her a half-grin.

"But with that whole babe factor thing going to compensate," Oz inclined his head in Cordelia's direction. "Gotta admire the perks." Willow's shocked expression deepened into a slight glower.

"What'd I tell ya, Tiger?" Faith smirked, punching Xander lightly in the bicep. Slayer lightly, anyway. He winced harder than it rated, rubbing his arm.

"I thought I'd heard additional voices from out here," Giles wandered out of his office. He took in Xander's new look without commentary, merely remarking, "I wasn't certain the three of you would be showing today."

"You know us, Giles," Xander said. He helped himself to a few chocolate donuts, sliding the box over to Oz and Willow before taking a seat. "Always ready to dive into the fast paced world of musty books."

"So I've noticed," Giles said, dryly. Cordelia and Faith helped themselves to donuts and seats, Faith sprawling at the end of the table with her arm stretched along it. "Any further progress resulting from patrols last night?"

Faith scowled, "No, but we managed to get our asses kicked at least once." Willow's interest diverted away from Xander and her eyebrows went up as she looked at Faith.

"I think that's _re_gress," Cordelia said. "We were doing so good at moving out of the punching bag stage there for awhile."

"Oh?" Giles removed his glasses, letting them dangle from one hand.

"A run in with our favorite garden shears psycho while I was at work," Xander said, "Or so I gather."

"Huh? Who?" Willow asked.

"You know, Miss Stabbed-a-botany-teacher-with-pruning-shears?" Cordelia said. "Shelia Martini?"

"Wow. Shelia?" Willow blinked. "But I thought she was dead?"

"And yet she moves," Faith remarked, her tone sour.

"And shocks," Cordelia said, making a face. "She apparently survived the mass dusting at Parent's Night and went on to a promising career as a blood sucking night lurker," Cordelia said.

"Hmm," Giles said. "And she is somehow connected with this vampiric drug ring? Or was this a random encounter?"

"Definitely not random," Cordelia and Faith said over each other. They exchanged looks and Cordelia made an 'after you' gesture to Faith.

"Connected but not part of, maybe. And she definitely looked us up on purpose," Faith said, frowning. Oz's brow furrowed slightly.

"I see," Giles said. "I think."

"I don't," Willow stated, frowning. "She hunted you down and attacked you, but didn't hurt either of you?"

"Well... " Cordelia's brows went down. "I so hate to give one of the undead the benefit of _any_ doubt, but you _could_ argue the 'attack' was more self defense." Faith gave her a rueful look.

"Yeah. I was in the process of attacking _her_ when she tasered me, then took Cordelia down, and left."

"Umm," Giles pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why don't we start this at the beginning before my understanding gets any more muddled than it already is."

Sighing heavily, Cordelia and Faith laid out the entire encounter starting with their stalking of, and attack upon the vamp near the alley. When they were finished, Giles began polishing his glasses absently, looking thoughtful.

"I see. That does rather put things into a bit more context," he said.

"So... she offered to hunt down this Dacascos' lair for you and give him over when she located it?" Willow's frown deepened. "She didn't ask for any money or favors or anything?"

Xander and Oz exchanged looks. "Trap," they both said.

"Maybe," Faith crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not so sure about that." Cordelia looked dubious as well.

"Perhaps," Giles remarked, putting his glasses back on. "Are you basing that on reasoning, or on intuition?"

"Huh," Faith scowled. "Combination of gut feeling and bullshit detector? She didn't come off as feeding us a line."

Cordelia nodded. "And if she wanted to kill us, she could have snapped Faith's neck while Faith was doing the electric shuffle and then taken me while I was trying to reload. She was that fast." Faith nodded agreement.

"And the joys of the Hellmouth keep multiplying," Xander said.

"Well," Giles remarked, "It would seem that only time will tell us what might develop from that front. I am very glad that neither of you were injured." There were sounds of agreement from around the table.

"Only my ego, Giles," Faith said. "But that's bad enough."

"_Do_ please refrain from hasty actions to salve your wounded pride. Those never end well, believe me," Giles said, nodding. Faith smirked and he glanced around the table, "What plans does your group have for this evening?"

"One night gig in Oxnard," Oz said.

"Groupie," Willow added, aiming a thumb back towards herself and beaming.

"Celebrating my freedom from the slave labor pool by taking Cordy to dinner," Xander said. Cordelia gave him a long look, then broke out into a wide grin. "At Brophy Brothers," he added, getting the full thousand watts.

"What did I tell you about asking me these things before announcing them?" She teased, swatting him on the arm. "But I'll let it slide this once."

"Guess that means I'm solo patrolling," Faith sighed heavily, then grinned and threw the pair a wink. "Don't keep her out so late this time, stud."

"Uh... you could come with me and Oz?" Willow suggested, looking at Faith.

"Really?" Faith's eyebrows went up.

"Could do," Oz nodded. "Built in backstage pass."

"Cool." Faith said, "I make a good roadie," she added, grinning. She looked at Giles, "We've made a pretty good dent in the above ground vamp population lately. And not much demon activity."

Giles nodded. "It being the end of summer, it would be churlish of me to deny any of you some semblance of summer vacation activities before it's gone.' He added, "If my readings lately are accurate, the resonance energies between Acathla's opening and the Hellmouth seem to be dwindling rapidly following our cleansing ritual. Demonic activity should drop to more normal levels from here on in, hopefully."

"Just in time for the usual run of school atrocities and the fall murder season," Xander observed.

"And that's just counting Snyder," Cordelia said, adding, "Not including demons, ghosts, and homicidal teachers."

**...**

"I'll catch up in a few," Xander said as Cordelia, Faith, and Oz filed out the library main doors. Faith waved agreement, not breaking off her conversation with the other two. "You have a few minutes, Will?"

"Huh?" Willow gave him a startled look, then broke into a grin. "Well, sure." She called to Oz that she'd be out in a bit as well. "What's up, stranger?" She hopped up, taking a seat on the edge of the table.

Xander made a face at the 'stranger' comment. "Uh yeah, about that," he said. "Sorry - I haven't meant to be as scarce as I seem to have gotten lately."

Giles pursed his lips, and discretely made for his office, leaving the two of them to their conversation.

"Oh," Willow made a 'no big' gesture, waving it off. "I understand, kinda. And I mean, I've been busy with Oz and the Dingos too and... " she shrugged, trailing off.

"Yeah," Xander said, nodding. "Kinda glad for you on that. Just wanted you to know I've really not been blowing you off."

"Oh no!" Willow started, then she sighed, frowning slightly. "Yeah... well, I kinda wondered sometimes. But - hey, it's not like we spent all last summer together either."

"It's been a really weird summer, even for this town," Xander said, agreeing.

"Yeah," Willow nodded energetically. "And - oh! Hey, I really didn't mean to go into like shock over your new look. It's... nice."

"Really? Thanks," he said, breaking out into a lopsided grin.

"Yeah. Looks good, and yet it's 100 Xanderlike still," Willow bobbed her head, grinning back. She cocked her head slightly, "Did you have something in particular to talk about? I mean it's ok if you didn't, this is cool but I kinda wonder and... "

"Breathe, Will,' Xander said, and she broke off, laughing. "Yeah, kind of," Xander said. He shook his head then, "No, not really - that was kind of it. I wanted to make sure you and I were still ok."

"Well, yeah." Willow frowned, giving him a puzzled look. "I mean, yeah, it's been a lot to adjust to, what with Faith, and you and Cordy spending so much time together... "

"Heh. Yeah," Xander ducked his head slightly. He said, "That's part of it. I'm thinking I really like Cordelia a lot lately."

"Xander," Willow gave him a serious look. "Are you sure about this? I mean, it wasn't that long ago you hated each other, and you remember the 'We hate Cordelia Club' and all that."

"Yeah," Xander sighed. "Been thinking about that. We were kids then, Will."

"And we're not any more, right?" Willow nodded. "Yeah. I just... I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I heal real well," Xander shrugged, and the lopsided grin came out again.

"I guess," Willow said, kind of doubtfully. "If you're sure."

"I think I am," Xander nodded. He got a bit of a surprised look, and added, "I really do." He gave her a serious look, "Look, I know you're happy with Oz, and while I had problems with the wolf thing once, I am glad for you. I guess I just want my best friend to be happy for me, too."

"I know. And I am, really." Willow said. "I know Cordelia's not the same girl we used to hate and she's been great this summer. Faith's hard to really dislike, even if she does shock me a lot. And I can see how happy you've been lately."

"You're sure?" Xander said.

"Yup." Willow nodded, smiling. "See? Resolve face happiness."

"Cool," Xander grinned. "Well, let's go catch up before they wonder if the evil librarian ate us." He turned and headed off for the main doors.

"Right." Willow watched him go for a minute, shaking her head slightly, before getting up to follow. "Hoo boy," she muttered under her breath.


	7. Chapter 6: Does this air on Oxygen too?

**Chapter 6: Does this air on Oxygen channel, too?**

_**Saturday August 29, 1998; Brophy Brothers Restaurant & Clam Bar, Santa Barbara CA, late evening.**_

Cordelia studied Xander from across the small table while he looked over his menu. Her lips twitched slightly after a few minutes, and she ended the appraisal with an approving nod.

"Nice," she said. Xander glanced up, the corners of his eyes crinkling into a smile even as he gave her a slightly puzzled look. She returned the smile with interest.

"Whatever I did, mark me down for two of them if it gets the full wattage Cordy smile," he remarked.

"Nothing," she shook her head slightly, still smiling. "Everything."

"Well, that clears it all up for me," Xander joked, grinning.

Cordelia laughed softly, "Nothing special, really. It's just... this is perfect." She inclined her head slightly, "You not only clean up amazingly nice, but you have taste in restaurants even."

"Hey - if there's one thing I know about, it's eating," he said, deadpan.

Cordelia laughed, a full out one at that, "I'll give you that." She glanced over her menu, seeing that he'd made a selection, and closed hers after. They gave their orders to the waiter who showed up shortly after, returning to their conversation.

"You look good too," Xander said. "Definitely worth the wait." She did, too, in a simple, flowing, backless wine red dress that managed to conceal almost everything and yet still showed more curves and leg than should be legal in some states.

"Didn't take me _that_ long to get ready," Cordelia objected. "And I am _not_ going to let you bait me with the old 'women take forever' trick, so there." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"No, no baiting, not me," Xander said, followed by a thoughtful expression, "And I'd rephrase that if I could think of a way that wouldn't dig me in even deeper." They both laughed.

"Probably for the best," she agreed. She tilted her head, saying, "You really didn't have to do this, you know. We could have celebrated with an end of summer dinner at Delgados." She grinned, "It didn't have to be one of the best seafood restaurants in Santa Barbara."

"Hey - _best_, not necessarily priciest. I haven't lost _all_ my marbles yet," Xander rejoined. "Give me a few more head hits on patrol, though... "

"Don't you dare," Cordelia said. "Learn to duck better, Dweebo."

"Working on it. And, yeah, I did, really," Xander replied. "I've decided to take Oz up on his statement."

Cordelia smiled up at the waiter when he brought their appetizers shortly after that, taking a stuffed mushroom from the plate once he moved on. "Hmm. Oz? You just lost me."

"When he joked that maybe something's forcing us all to grow up?" Xander reminded her. Cordelia's eyes widened slightly, and she nodded.

"Oh yeah," she said. Her eyes widened a bit more and she cocked her head, "Wow. That's a big step - are you sure you're ready for it?" She caught herself immediately and made a 'never mind' gesture. "And I _so_ didn't mean that the way it came out."

Xander laughed, "Yeah, but it was such a perfect Cordy-ism. Keeps me from wondering if the pod people got you."

"Right, make fun," Cordelia said, grumbling. "I never should have mentioned those pods." She glanced around the dining room, "And this is a part of the growing up, you figure?"

"I think so," Xander said. His brow furrowed and he shrugged slightly. "I don't have a clue how to go about it," he spread his hands, "But I think part of it is figuring out how to meet the people you care about at least half way."

"Wow." She started at him for a long moment, "Maybe I should have taken better care to keep _you_ out of those pods."

Xander laughed again. "No, no pods, pure Xander, I'm pretty sure. I'll manage to screw this up _somehow_ before the night's done and you'll see."

Cordelia shook her head. "You're doing fine so far," she said, "Keep it up."

Their entrees came and the waiter topped off their teas and waters before leaving them alone again. Cordelia cut into her Mahi Mahi with a fork, watching Xander tear into his mixed platter.

"Yum," she said, closing her eyes to savor a bite. "Definitely doing good."

"Seriously," Xander said, swallowing a mouthful of albacore. He held out a junior shrimp on his fork to her and she lipped it off, her eyes sparkling at him. "You've never eaten here before?"

"No, just heard about the place," Cordelia stated. "You have?"

"Yeah, but I cheated," he grinned at her. "Worked here as a busboy one summer in Junior High. Me and Jesse." His eyes darkened for a moment, and she put her hand over his across the table.

"I'm sorry," Cordelia said. "I never really said that before, did I? And we wouldn't even be here if you hadn't... " She shrugged.

"Staked my best friend?" Xander shook his head. "No. And thanks... We never really talk about this stuff, any of us, you ever notice that?"

"Too real maybe? Or too naked?" Cordelia asked. "And yeah, I have noticed," she said.

"Easier to make jokes and deal with it that way?" Xander said, wondering.

"Well, we've gotten naked together before, you, me, and Faith," Cordelia stated. She gave a decisive nod. "I'm sorry about Jesse. And I'm _not_ sorry you saved my life."

Xander's lopsided grin came back out, "I'm not sorry either, about the life saving thing." His eyes crinkled at her, "But we still need to work more on that getting naked part."

"Doof," Cordelia said, laughing.

They concentrated on their food for awhile, trading bites back and forth and letting the serious topics dwindle out. "So," Cordelia said, finally, "Care about, huh. And meeting half way?" She lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah," Xander said, nodding. "Like not fighting to the bitter death on the clothes thing. And recognizing that you dumped a lot of your friends and status over me. Or that that you've helped out a lot the past year, and we're not in grade school any more and it's kind of idiotic to pretend we hate each other when we're... "

"Locking lips and other parts in the back seat of my convertible?" Cordelia said with an impish smirk.

"Uhh... yeah, that," Xander flushed bright red, ducking his head, and she laughed. He shrugged, grinning. "If you can be nice once in awhile, I can not be a jackass sometimes."

"Don't get _too_ carried away," Cordelia jabbed her fork at him. "I don't want to die of shock at this young an age." She gave him a serious look, "It is kind of pointless, isn't it? We're never going back to the way things were, not after this past month or so."

"That's not a bad thing, right?" Xander asked.

"Nope." Cordelia gave him the full wattage grin. "I kind of like the way things are now," she said. She cocked her head slightly, frowning, "Let's try to get here without the 'you and my new best friend getting beaten half to death' thing next time, though."

"I'll go for that," Xander said, fervently. He shook his head, "I haven't figured out the rest of it yet," he admitted. "Other than it involves very much not becoming my dad as I get older."

"You won't."

"You sound sure of that," Xander said, sounding a bit dubious.

"I am," Cordelia said. "I don't _know_ what Tony Harris was like at our age, but I don't think he was risking his neck every night protecting people he never met from monsters they wouldn't believe in." She gave him a serious look, "Or half of the other idiotic, lame brained, cockeyed- "

"Hey! This is supposed to make me feel better?" Xander cut in.

"- Shut _up_, Harris, I'm _not_ finished," Cordelia smirked at him. "And other more than just half assed wonderful things his son manages to pull off on a regular basis."

"Uh... " Xander's mouth fell open and he cocked his head at her. "Did I just hear Cordelia _Chase_ say 'half assed'?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. Whatever she was planning to respond with was interrupted by the waiter clearing their plates, and then bringing their desserts and coffees.

Finally... Cordelia sat back, giving a heavy sigh and looking woefully at her nearly empty dessert plate. "Oh, jeeze. I am so glad Giles is planning to start that training thing soon. I'm going to need the work out if I'm not going to end up looking like Roseanne Barr from hanging out with you and Faith."

"Never happen," Xander said, seriously.

"You might actually be worth keeping," Cordelia remarked, studying him.

"I'm picturing more of a," Xander made a pear shape with his hands, "Very pale, very athletic Oprah," he said, smirking.

Cordelia mimed throwing a wadded up napkin at him. "Or not, she says, reconsidering." She grinned at him, sipping at her coffee.

"Oilfield roughneck," Xander said, somewhat out of left field.

"Huh?"

"My dad," he explained, looking at her. "When he was our age, he was working his way from drilling rig to drilling rig, chasing skirts and getting into bar fights." Xander grinned, "Following him dropping out after his golden days career as a high school half back," he added, and Cordelia laughed.

"Ah," she nodded seriously. "So no danger at _all_ of you following in the footsteps, Mr. Sports Challenged."

"Hey! I prefer 'athletically impaired', I'll have you know," Xander warned, aiming a finger at her in mock chastisement.

"Oh, by all means, we _must _be PC when teasing the coordination deprived," she sniffed, laughing.

"Oh boy," Xander said, taking a deep breath. "Ok," His face suddenly grew serious, "This is the part where I probably screw things up completely," he warned her.

"Uh oh," Cordelia tilted her head, watching him with bright eyes. Her expression grew serious, "I should run for my life now, right?"

"Or I should," Xander agreed, giving her a lopsided grin. He reached down and pulled a small box out of his pocket, opening it. "Considering what happened the _last_ time I did something like this." The grin turned a bit sheepish and he slid the box across the table to her.

"Wow." Cordelia looked down at it, then back up at him, her eyebrows rising.

"I know, and before you say it, they're _not_ engagement rings," Xander stated, firmly. "We're both too young for that and- "

"I know what they are, Harris," Cordelia cut him off. "I am the Queen of fashion and jewelry, remember?" She picked up the box, tilting it to admire the contents, "They're Promise rings."

"Uh, yeah," Xander said, nodding seriously. "Tanzanite and Silver. Heart for the girl's, and plain band with criss-cross for the guy's. I spent a long time asking the lady at the shop about what the various meanings were and everything and... " He trailed off, realizing he was starting to babble like Willow.

Cordelia's lips twitched at the corners. She stared at him, locking his gaze for a minute. "I'm not going to pull another Valentine's Day on you, Xander."

"Ah, good," Xander said, his head bobbing nervously. "Not that I was worried about that or anything, but... I'm going to shut up now."

"Good plan," Cordelia said, grinning. "I wouldn't have teased you as much about spending your ill gotten gains if I'd known what else they were going for."

"Huh? No!" Xander shook his head. "These I got with what I earned at S&C, or part of it. Sheesh."

"Really? Wow." She cocked her head, giving him another serious look, "Love and fidelity?" She drew the woman's ring out, looking inside it curiously at the inscription, "'Vous et nul autre'," she read, and translated. "To you and no other?"

"Uh, yeah?" Xander's eyebrows went up. "I mean, yeah. Yes."

"Hey- I _passed_ French," Cordelia said, laughing softly. She replaced the ring carefully in the box as he watched nervously, looking at the other one for a moment. "You know that men usually don't receive Promise rings?"

"Right," Xander said, nodding. "But when I asked, she said it was appropriate for some things, like- "

"Vows of love and fidelity, right." Cordelia gave him the thousand watt grin again, then sighed. She locked eyes with him again, "You know I take promises seriously, right? And loyalty."

"Right."

"And like you said, it's not an engagement, or even a promise to engage."

"Right."

"Just checking," Cordelia said, "So, basically, this is basically a 'we care about each other, we don't give a damn who knows about it or what they think, and we're pledging love and fidelity to each other' thing, right?"

"Uh, right," Xander said again, nervously.

"Right." Cordelia picked out the men's ring and held out her hand for his, snapping her fingers. "Give. Right hand." She took a firm grasp on his hand, a deep breath, and slid the ring onto his finger. She held the box out to him afterwards, and held her hand out after he took it.

Taking an equally deep breath, Xander slid the woman's ring onto her finger. He let out the breath, giving her the lopsided grin again. "Ok, so maybe this _isn't_ where I screw things up completely."

"The night is still young, Harris," Cordelia laughed, admiring the ring. "And it _better_ be white gold and diamonds for engagement."

"Oh yeah, _now_ go high maintenance on me," Xander said, snickering. "Harmony's going to flip when she sees these come school, you know," he added.

"Screw Harmony."

"No thanks, rather not."

"Good answer," Cordelia said. She paused, thinking, the said, "_Willow_ will freak."

Xander's mouth opened, then he got a thoughtful look and shut it again. He shook his head, "Right. Then I'll have to deal with that, and Will will have to deal with it." He gave her a serious look of his own, "Look, Cordy. I'm not real good at this stuff, and I know that. This last summer, and the last few weeks have been some of the best in my life, even with everything considered."

"Me too," she said, simply.

"Right," Xander grinned. "A big part of that'll come to an end tomorrow, when everything changes again, but... I don't want to lose what we've gotten the past few weeks." He cocked his head slightly, "Willow's got Oz and I've managed to be happy for her even considering it gives me the cold shakes knowing that one accident means wolfie Willow. She's going to have to figure out how to be happy for us," he said.

Cordelia cocked her head at him again. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"You bet," Xander grinned. "Ask me again the day after tomorrow when I wake up with the cold sweats, though," he added.

"Oh yeah!" Cordelia laughed. "You and me both." She gave him an absolutely blazing smile and said, "If you make me cry in public, I will have to hurt you. Let's pay up and get out of here."

**................................................**

_**Sunday August 30, 1998; Chase Manor pool house, early early AM.**_

"Had a great time, thanks," Faith called in through the van door before sliding it shut. She watched as Oz pulled out from the short drive and away, before turning to the gate and using the card Cordelia'd given her to let herself in. Pausing to make sure it locked again, she headed back to the pool house, grinning.

After a brief stop for a bottle of water and then in the bathroom to change out of her clubbing clothes into some shorts and a t-shirt, she found Cordelia and Xander sitting up in bed talking quietly and animatedly. Both of them looked up smiling as she came in.

"Hey guys," Faith said. She tossed herself easily into bed, landing on Xander's other side as he scooted over to make room. Taking a deep breath and catching some of the pheromones, she propped herself up on an elbow, grinning wickedly, "You kids got in early, huh?"

"Could say that," Cordelia said. She arched her eyebrows and then started snickering.

"Won't ask if you had a good time," Faith said.

"You?" Xander asked. "And the smelling thing? Gross, even by my very low standards."

Faith laughed. "Oh yeah. Hot club, good bands, lots of dancing. Even dusted a few vamps that thought they hit a smörgåsbord. All good."

"Wicked," Cordelia said. She grinned widely, and held her hand up, back out to Faith.

"Whoa," Faith's eyebrows went up. She did a double take when Xander held his own up. "Ok... not engagement - wrong hands. It's... "

"Promise rings," Cordelia supplied.

"Right," Faith nodded. "Would've been my next guess if I had a clue. Very cool." She smirked, "And about time you two figured it out."

"Shush, you." Cordelia smirked back.

"'K. So, you guys gonna adopt me, now?"

Xander threw back his head, laughing, as Cordelia cut her eyes sideways at him and put her hand out. "Pay up, Harris."

"Oh darn. Left my wallet in my other pants," he joked.

"Weasel."

"Seriously, this is good, right?" Faith asked. "You guys are good together."

"I finally figured this out, but I'm slow," Xander stated.

"We've noticed," Cordelia said, laughing. She looked at Faith, "We three seem to be good together. Or good for each other, or something."

"For. We haven't tried _together_ yet," Faith said, grinning.

"My turn. Pay up, Chase," Xander said.

"Mark it off against what you just welshed on, Dweeb," Cordelia snarked. She winked at Faith, and said, "We were just talking about you, matter of fact."

"Uh oh. I didn't do it, and you can't pin it on me," Faith said. She cocked her head, "What? You've got me curious now."

"The folks left a message they'd be in _late_ late tomorrow night or early the next morning," she said glancing at the bedside clock. "So we don't have to rush _quite_ as bad getting sorted out here," Cordelia said. "We're trying to figure out what this means for all of us."

"Yeah, been thinking about that," Faith said, nodding. "Or been avoiding thinking about it, but... "

"Yeah," Xander said. "Likewise."

"S'allright," Faith said. "I don't have much to pack up, and it's no big to move back to a motel."

Cordelia and Xander exchanged glances. Cordelia said, "You really don't have to move, Faith." She frowned, "Xander... "

"I know," Xander grinned. "The parents would freak. It's all right."

"Yeah, thought about that," Faith said. "And yeah, I do. You don't need someone loaching and couch surfing in your pool house, and it'd cause you issues with the family. And I don't do families real well."

"Well, it wouldn't cause _major_ issues," Cordelia said, a bit doubtfully.

"Right." Faith shook her head. "Naw." She frowned slightly, sighing, "Am gonna miss this, though. This is gonna get a bit mushy, but I haven't ever done anything like this before. It's kinda nice."

"Makes three of us," Xander stated, with Cordelia nodding agreement. "This has been probably about the best several weeks of my life so far." He gave her the lopsided grin, "Which at seventeen/almost eighteen hasn't been much of a life yet, but I'm pretty sure this will still rank in the top five even when I'm eighty."

Faith's dimples showed as she grinned. "Right," She said. "Don't want to lose this, and I don't mean just the hot body contact."

"With hot bodies?" Cordelia asked, laughing softly.

"Damned straight," Faith nodded. "But that's not all of it, is it. And that's kind of hard for me to wrap my head around."

"No. Not all," Cordelia agreed. "It got kind of intense, real fast."

"That it did," Xander said. A yawn caught him by surprise, and he blinked sleepily. Cordelia chuckled, and he shook his head, sliding down under the covers to sprawl out with his arms to the sides. Cordelia smirked and snuggled into one arm to curl against his side. After watching them thoughtfully for a few minutes, Faith slid under the covers and did the same at the other side.

"_This_ I'm going to miss," Cordelia said. She blinked sleepily, "Not that I'll mind getting my room back, but it's going to be hard to adjust to sleeping all alone again."

"You think it'll be tough for _you_," Xander grumbled, quietly. "I'm just now getting used to this, and to not listening to my folks through the walls."

"Yeah," Faith said, nodding. She held out a hand to Cordelia's, asking, "Can I take a look at that?"

Cordelia blinked, then grinned and rolled over to pull the ring off and pass it over. Faith rolled onto her back, looking at it curiously and reading the inscription out loud, "'Vous et nul autre'?" Her pronunciation was atrocious.

"French," Cordelia stated, "'To you and no other'."

Both of Faith's eyebrows went up, "You mean guys actually do stuff like this for reasons _other_ than to get into a chick's pants?"

Xander blinked and went into a coughing fit, blushing furiously. Cordelia snickered, looked over at his face, and broke out laughing. "_Some_ of them do," she said.

Xander took a deep breath, getting the cough out of control, "Not that I'll say there's no pants getting into motives involved, but... " he shook his head, "Not _just_ that."

"And he displays his unerring instinct for ruining a romantic moment with tactless honesty, sigh," Cordelia shook her head sadly. "Men."

"Hey, _you're_ the one that says 'tact is just not saying true stuff'," Xander said.

"He is right," Faith said, her lips twitching up at the corners. She handed the ring back to Cordelia, who returned it to her finger.

"_So_ beside the point," Cordelia said, teasing. She raised her head, looking across Xander's chest at Faith. "May have to amend that a little bit. We're partners, right? Not just a couple and an outsider friend." Cordelia gave a decisive nod, "No one is getting cut out just because things are changing again."

Faith raised up onto her elbow, studying both of them seriously, especially Cordelia, for long moments. "Right," she said, nodding. She put her hand out, fingers spread, and after a moment, Cordelia put her palm to Faith's and entwined fingers with her. "We haven't managed to screw it up and hate each other forever yet," Faith observed.

"Not yet," Cordelia gave her the blazing smile. "But the year's still young."

"Yup." Faith's dimples came out again, "Let's get some sleep before we have to make a Lifetime movie out of this."

***********************************


	8. Chapter 7: Accommodations

**Chapter 7: Accommodations -**

_**Sunday August 30, 1998; Sunnydale High School Library, late morning.**_

Giles looked down from his perch on a shelving ladder as Faith wandered in through the library's main doors, looking around curiously. She spotted him up on the stacks level and waved, bounding up the staircase towards him.

"Good morning, Faith," Giles said, climbing carefully down. "You're in early. And, err, alone?"

"Yeah," Faith stuck her hands in her back pockets, "Decided to give the lovebirds some private time and head up to train or whatever. We're going to be migrating everyone out of the pool house later today."

"Ah. I see," Giles said. he pursed his lips slightly, studying her. "You don't, ah, seem overly distressed by the upheaval?"

"Naw. I'm good," Faith said.

"Excellent," he nodded. Giles paused, removing his glasses. "I owe you a slight apology, I believe."

"Huh?" Both of Faith's eyebrows went up, "For what?"

"The other day, with the, err, taste testing incident," Giles said. "While I _won't_ apologize for my concern, I should perhaps have waited to upbraid you in private over it, rather than in front of your friends."

"Ah." Faith considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Praise in public, chew out in private?"

"Eh?" Giles looked puzzled for a moment, then gave a startled bark of laughter. "Why yes, I suppose." He peered at her, "I must say, you are an often surprising mixture of unexpected knowledge and gaps therein."

Faith stared at him. "I'm gonna mull that one over for a bit and decide whether I was just insulted before I hit you," she said. There was a sudden flash of grin following the words.

"Thank you. I quite appreciate that," Giles said, dryly. "You weren't by chance a military child, were you?"

"Naw," Faith said, shaking her head. "Uncle. Gulf War vet." She considered for a moment, "And now I'm starting to sound like Oz."

"We mustn't have that, I agree," Giles said, smiling. "That would explain the occasional bit of military slang then, I suppose."

"Yup." Faith cocked her head, studying him. "Council still hasn't sent you my records from my Watcher?"

"Ah, no. Not as of yet," Giles admitted. He replaced his glasses, sticking his hands in his front pockets, "Shall I take it that you're not angry with me?"

Faith gave him a frank look. "Was," she said. "I got over it." She gave a slight shrug, "It _was_ stupid," she said. "It also worked."

"Yes. To both," Giles said, nodding. "That it worked only mitigated the impulsiveness and foolishness of the action, it didn't eliminate it."

"I get that," Faith said. She cocked her head slightly again, studying him. "This 'acceptable/unacceptable risk' thing. Is that why you were sounding Harris and me out over the nest raiding?"

"Yes, actually," Giles said. He took a half seat on one of the side tables in the stacks areas, bracing himself on one leg. "Do you recall the hospital when you were... standing guard over Cordelia's treatment after the first Nightgaunt attack, how that felt?"

Faith nodded, watching him.

"Picture the same scene, only with me in your position and you in Cordelia's - as I watch medics attempting to flush some toxin out of you, or working frantically with Willow attempting to research a treatment for some mystical toxin before it kills you," Giles stated, "And I suspect you'll see why I was a bit sharp at the time."

"Five by five," Faith said, nodding. "Figured that part out." She was quiet for a moment, then, "I'm not used to that," she admitted.

"Neither am I, quite honestly," Giles said. he removed his glasses again, polishing them absently. "I'm rather muddling about here myself, I fear. They trained us to teach Slayers and send them out to fight, and possibly to die. I'm afraid they never trained us in how to _not_ become fond of the young women entrusted to our care, nor how easy it is to do so." He raised his eyes to hers and gave her a bleak look, "I may at some point have to send you and you compatriots out to take deadly risks. I will in all probability at some point have to ask you to do so _knowing_ that the risk may cost your life, or lives. The very least I can do is attempt to teach you how to judge when a risk is avoidable and foolish, and when one _has_ to be taken because the cost of _not_ doing so is too high to bear contemplation."

The corners of Faith's mouth lifted slightly. "Fond of, huh?"

Giles laughed, putting away his handkerchief and replacing his glasses. "Out of all that, that was the part that you chose to latch onto, I see."

"Hey," Faith shrugged. "I sifted out all the crap and kept the important stuff," she grinned at him.

"Quite," Giles laughed again, softly. "That would be the critical part, I suppose." He gave a slight shrug, "It would bother me somewhat if I had to see you buried before your next birthday."

"Going to be kinda hard to figure if the council never gets those records over, huh?" Faith laughed.

"Quite," Giles said again. "I suppose that means I shall have to attempt to keep you alive indefinitely."

"Good to have a goal," Faith said, nodding. She frowned slightly, "Gotta admit, I'm starting to wonder if we're going to get a handle on this Dacascos character."

"You will," Giles said, sounding very definite. "It may, however, take awhile, if indeed he is playing things smart and cagey. But something will break."

"As long as it's not my head," Faith said, grinning again. "Let's go train. Girl needs her daily allotment of Watcher beating." She paused, waiting a beat, then added, "You can tell me more about this unacceptable risk thing and how you tell while we workout."

**...**

Pushing open the library door, Xander stopped abruptly part way in, almost causing Cordelia to run into him. "Hey! Watch it, dweeb."

"Shh! Listen," Xander put his finger to his lips.

"Is that... ?" Corelia trailed off, cocking her head. "It is! Giles? Laughing?"

"Think someone spiked the tea kettle?" Xander's eyes went slightly wide.

Letting the door swing closed, they made their way down from the stacks cautiously, heading towards the training area. At the back, they discovered Faith sitting on one of the rear tables with her legs swinging idly, and Giles leaning against the other chuckling and wiping his eyes.

"Why, hello Xander, Cordelia," Giles said. "Excellent timing. We were just finishing our training for the day."

"Hey guys," Faith threw them a grin. "Giles was just telling me about his days as a wicked wicked man when he was younger."

"Only selected excerpts, I assure you," Giles stated. He put his glasses back on as the other two looked from one to the other, and then at each other.

"Must be the pods," Xander stated.

"It's the only possible explanation," Cordelia said, nodding agreement.

"Give it a rest," Faith said. "Don't tell me you've never seen the Jeeves let his hair down a bit."

"Well, yeah," Xander said. "But both times it involved scary badness, violence, Ethan Rayne, and demon possession."

"Oh, really?" Faith jumped down, glancing at Giles, "You forgot to tell me about those."

"I'm quite certain those two will be most happy to fill you in," Giles stated, picking his towel up from the table and draping it around his neck. Xander grinned, nodding at Faith and mouthing 'scary badness' with exaggerated movements.

"Cool. I'm gonna go change - back in a few," Faith said. She punched Xander lightly on the arm as she went by, picking up her bag and heading for the main doors.

"Teasing aside, it's good to hear you laughing again, Giles," Cordelia said.

"Even if it is at the expense of Faith's impressionable young mind," Xander added.

"I'm certain she'll recover from the horrific experience," Giles said. "So, today would be D-Day, as it were?"

"Yup," Xander said. "We're going to take advantage of the parents monthly BBQ at Uncle Rory's to slide me back in seamless-like. With any luck, they'll assume I was there all along."

"I see," Giles nodded. "Well, I can't think of anything I can offer as assistance in that, so I'll merely wish you the best of luck." Xander nodded.

"Huh. Will and the Wolfman?" Xander asked, looking around.

"Ah, let's see... " Giles looked introspective for a moment, "I believe, last I heard, Oz was going to be practicing and Willow had some school preparation projects she wished to immerse herself into."

"That's the Willster," Xander remarked. "Gotta re-label all those binders before classes start." Cordelia snorted, shaking her head.

Giles looked the two teens over, and added, "I must say, both of you look to be in exceptionally high spirits today. You seem especially radiant for some reason, Cordelia."

Cordelia beamed at him and wrapped an arm around Xander's waist. Holding up her right hand, she waved it saying, "Harris here decide to surprise me out of the clear blue by becoming an actual human being." She grinned up at Xander to take some of the sting out.

"Ah. I see," Giles leaned forward slightly to get a closer look. "A Promise ring?"

Xander somewhat sheepishly held up his own hand, "It, uh, seemed like the thing to do?'

"I see. Congratulations to both of you are in order, then," Giles nodded. He lowered his glasses, giving Xander a suddenly serious look from over the rims. "I suppose then that this is the point where I am supposed to offer threats of heinous violence to you after asking what your intentions are?"

"Uh... " Xander started, then he caught the sly twinkle in the older man's eye and grinned. "Oh, would you please, Mr. Giles? I've never had The Talk from a surrogate parent figure before." Cordelia laughed.

"If I actually believed I could pull that off with a straight face, I'd be tempted," a slight smile tugged at the corners of Giles' lips. "To what do we owe this calamitous turn of events?"

Opening his mouth, Xander closed it again, looking suddenly thoughtful. He shrugged. "Not really sure," he said. "'Seemed like the thing to do' is lame, but that's what it amounts to, I guess."

"Whatever it is, I kind of like it," Cordelia put in. She sent Xander the thousand watt smile again, "It suits him, finally."

"She's my Xander to human translator," Xander said, smirking.

"Excellent," Giles said. "Do try to not grow up _too_ fast - I'm not certain I could stand the shock."

The main doors slammed open again. "Ready, guys," Faith wandered back in, still toweling her hair dry. "So, tonight - patrol and then Bronze?"

"Not me," Cordelia stated. "I promised Aura and Tamara I'd meet them for dinner and hear all about their trip to Aruba."

"I'm game," Xander said, shrugging. "I can slide out around dark and meet you at the diner."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Ah, Faith?" At Giles' query she glanced up, and he asked, "If I could speak to you for a moment before you leave, in my office?"

"Sure." After checking with the other two that they'd wait, Faith trailed after Giles into his office, closing the door and leaning against it. "What's up?"

"I understand there's about to be some changes in your accommodations?" Giles asked as he sat on the edge of his desk. Faith nodded, giving him a curious look. He said, "That being the case, I thought that I would mention that I have a spare room at my flat that's currently being unused for anything except storage, and that it is available for you if you wish to use it."

Faith's eyes widened slightly, then she laughed softly, tossing her head. "Damn. First Mrs. S, then Cordelia, now you. Nice to be popular," she said.

"Ah. Quite," Giles said, his eyes crinkling a bit at the corners. "Is that a no, or a yes?" He asked.

"Cordelia put you up to this?" Faith asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Oh no, of that I can assure you," Giles said. "I'm afraid this was entirely my own brainstorm, as it were."

"Ah. So you're taking inspiration from Xander now," she said in a joking tone. Giles glanced up at her sharply, then smiled, removing his glasses. Faith shook her head, "Naw, but thanks. Cordy doesn't need me causing her problems with her folks, and you don't need your neighbors wondering why the weird old Brit has the hot young teen fling moving in with him."

"Leaving aside the 'old' crack for the nonce," Giles remarked dryly, "I'm tempted to say 'bugger my neighbors', except that I've yet to see any I would care to."

Faith laughed, her dimples showing, "Wicked fellow." She tilted her head, looking at him, "Naw. But thanks. I'll be all right."

"If you're quite certain?" Giles raised his eyebrows, then nodded. "Very well. The offer shall remain open should anything occur where you might need to avail yourself of it," he said, "And I can assure you that your freedom to come and go would remain unrestricted."

"Just not the freedom to taste strange stuff lying around," Faith said, lightly. "Like that weird crap in the Marmite jars."

Giles nodded, his lips twitching at the corners, "Well, it would be good to know that my stock of British cuisine would remain unmolested," he said.

Faith laughed. She said, "I really _am_ gonna be ok, G. Got money, got clothes, got the Council stipend thing - and I _have_ been doing this for awhile now."

Giles gave her a searching look, then nodded abruptly. "Very well, then," he said. "I certainly cannot fault you for your determination to take care of yourself. And you _have_ proven your ability." He smiled again, replacing his glasses, "You should go join your friends, then, and be off."

"Cool. Gotta move the Xander, and get ready for patrol," Faith said, grinning. "Laters."

**...**

_**Sunday August 30, 1998; Sunnydale, night.**_

The big vamp struggled furiously in Faith's grip, almost throwing her off. She shifted her grip to a half nelson and an arm lock, unable to let go for even the second it would take to reach for a stake. Her opponent spun with her, straightening up and slamming backwards against the side wall of the abandoned gas station. She groaned, tightening both grips.

"Shit, Harris! Stake this sucker!"

Xander picked himself up on wobbly legs from the cracked parking lot, recovering his stake after a quick glance around. Shaking his head to clear it a bit, he stumbled in as the vamp slammed Faith backwards again, driving the stake home in the brief moment when they were both immobile.

"Pleargh," Faith said, spitting vampire dust out. She leaned forward with her hands on her knees, breathing heavily and coughing.

"See your pleargh and raise you an owww," Xander said as he slumped against the wall next to her, sliding down it. "Jeeze. They're recruiting from the Swedish women's weightlifting team now?"

"Must be," Faith looked sideways at him. "That bitch would have been trouble _without_ being hopped up on vamp crack."

"The other ones went easier," Xander said, nodding agreement. He looked around, then went over to recover his arrow air-gun and Faith's crossbow and the patrol bag. "We were able to shoot those without closing with 'em." He looked both weapons over, frowning. "These will probably be useless after that knock-around until we can re-sight them in."

"Yeah," Faith waved it off tiredly. "Thought Giles said vamp and demon activity were gonna _slow_ now... "

Xander grinned. "Hey, we were seeing a dozen or more a night for awhile right around when you showed up. Six _is_ slower."

"You say so," Faith said. She straightened up with a groan, then grinned. "Ok, I make it four hopped up vamps, and two newbies, and we hit most all of the cemeteries and hunting grounds. Plus that small nest we found."

"Ah. Forgot that one after my head impacted with the asphalt." Xander nodded, saying, "We'll have to check that one during the day and make sure we get the ones that weren't home."

"Think we got the wanna-be Master there," Faith said, frowning. "Minions'll probably scatter when they find all the dust piles."

"'Least they were nice enough to contribute to the Nightwatchmen fund."

"Sweet of 'em," Faith said. She rolled her shoulders, then stretched and rolled her neck, making popping sounds. "I think it's a night. Go hit the diner, then I'll walk you home before I head back?"

Xander gave a thoughtful look, then grinned lopsidedly. "Since the vamps are buying, why not?" He slung the patrol bag over his shoulder and set off after her, falling in step beside Faith after a few moments.

She watched her current hunting partner from the corner of her eyes as they headed out from the edge of the warehouse district, angling along a path that would take eventually them through Restfield en route to Kaylee's. Slouch, lopsided grin, and easy-going, amiable, and slightly clumsy looking carriage showed the world an earnest and slightly clueless idiot-about-town out for a nightly stroll. Perfect camouflage. Completely non-threatening. A snack on legs to the gaze of any passing vamp.

The eyes said something different if you knew to watch for them. They were aware and constantly probing into shadows and bits of cover along the way. Watching, weighing, assessing, and measuring everything for potential threat or ambush, or dismissing it. So did the fact that the ambling slouch was never _quite_ as clumsy as it looked, but you had to watch a lot more carefully for that one.

Harris wasn't the most competent fighter in the world, or even more than marginally competent, but he had the art of making people underestimate him down to a_ science_. What he _was_ was dead game and always thinking, always moving, even while completely terrified – something that had seriously impressed the thrill seeker in Faith.

It'd taken Faith awhile to realize that there was something else lurking underneath the bumbling, joking exterior. _Faith_ really hadn't figured out just how _much_ else until the little ambush and beating session outside of Willy's. She wondered how many newbie vamps had managed to turn to dust over the past year never quite figuring out that their 'casual snack' had a lot more predator in it than they were capable of recognizing...

Covering roughly a mile in a comfortable, watchful silence, Faith broke it finally with a full sidelong glance at her hunting partner. "'Rents give you a hard time?"

"Nope," Xander said. "But that's a major advantage of not seeing them. They do like last year's summer blowout BBQ, they'll pass out at Uncle Rory's and won't be in until late tomorrow."

"Cool," Faith nodded. "So," she said, after another half block or so. "You've known Cordy, what, since you were kids? Like you and Willow?"

Xander looked over at her, the lopsided grin coming out, "If by 'knowing' you mean 'went to the same schools since kindergarten' for most of our lives, yeah."

"Just now started bumping lips the last year or so, right?" Faith asked, her tone casual.

"Huh." Xander made a face at the description, then shrugged, "Mostly. Although we _did_ date in the 6th grade for a short time."

"Really? Get outta here."

"No, really," Xander said, laughing. "For all of three days. I asked her to a movie when her boyfriend dumped her because she looked miserable, we went out, and then she beat me up and broke up with me after I spilled most of a chocolate shake down her new dress."

Faith laughed, "Ok, now _that_ sounds about right," she said.

"Suave is my middle name. Also Doofus and Dweeb."

"Alexander Suave Doofus Dweeb Harris," Faith said, still laughing. "It's got a ring to it." She shook her head, grinning. "And then there was the mummy girl?"

Xander frowned, looking sidelong at her, "No, that was later. Killer Praying Mantis Teacher lady was next, roughly."

"Ah." Faith nodded. "So what was mummy girl like?"

"I want it on record that I'm resisting all _sorts_ of lame jokes here," Xander stated. He sighed, shrugging again, "Well... if you look past the whole life sucking thing, Ampata was pretty nice, kinda. Liked my jokes, I introduced her to the Twinkie, and I think she really liked me - she just didn't like me enough to not try to drain all my life energy."

"That's kind of a relationship stopper, yup," Faith agreed. "Then again, people will do all sorts of whack shit to survive."

"Huh. And I could tell she really didn't want to, so... " Xander shrugged.

"So your mummy _really_ liked you," Faith's dimples showed in a grin at Xander's eye roll. "Kendra?"

"Too shy."

"What about B?" Faith glanced at him, smirking. "Ever get the low down tickles with her?"

Xander stopped, almost doubling over laughing. "Oh, man," he said. "You really do put all the romance in it, huh?"

"It's a knack." They resumed walking.

"Ummm... why all the interest in my love life?" Xander said, curiously.

"Trying to figure something out here, and I got no road maps," Faith said, shrugging. "Bear with me, 'k?"

"Ah. Ok," Xander nodded. "No, no low downs and no boots knocking with the Buffster. And that ship kinda sank drastically after she pole danced me at the Bronze to make Dead Boy jealous. We're just friends, with a side dose of kinda crushing on my part."

"She did that?" Faith stopped, her eyebrows going up. Shaking her head, she set off again. "Kinda surprised the friends thing held up."

"I'm just a pushover for cute blondes?" Xander remarked, shrugging again.

"And yet Cordy is as brunette as they get," Faith said with a smirk.

"Cordy is... " Xander trailed off after a moment, frowning. He shrugged, "Cordy is something else," he said.

"She is that," Faith agreed. "So no Buffy sparkage then."

"Not on Buffy's part," Xander said, shaking his head. "The love spell and the hyena thing don't count."

Faith shot him a sly look and a grin to match it, "Thought you didn't remember anything from that."

"Uh, just what I was told by Will and Buffy," Xander stated, but the slight hunch to his shoulders said something else.

"Right," Faith's Boston drawl made it about four syllables long.

Xander threw his hands up with an aggrieved sigh, "Ok, so as far as anyone knows, I don't remember. It was embarrassing." His lips quirked slightly, "Cordy, Giles, and now you. And Giles swore he'd never tell."

"Safe with me," Faith agreed. "_Cordy_, huh?" She smirked, "Not Red?"

"Huh? No!" Xander stated.

Snickering, Faith shook her head, "I don't get you, guy," she said. "You tell this girl things you don't tell your best friend for-evah. And I'll bet she tells _you_ things she's never told anyone else, am I right?"

"Uhhh..." Xander's expression took on a trapped look.

"And _you_ try to feed me a line that the two of you aren't wicked into each other. _Right_." Still shaking her head and laughing, Faith pushed open the door to Kaylee's. Their usual corner booth was occupied, so she picked an empty one and headed for it, settling in across from Xander.

"Hey, kids," the other night waitress, Michelle, set a pair of menus down at their table, and drinks. "Coffee, water, sodas." She looked them over and grinned, "And a Dust Buster," she joked, adding, "Charlene'll be by to get your orders in a few here."

"No hurry," Faith said, waving her off and laughing. She raised a brow at Xander, "Wanna bet she's not as clueless as some people?"

"No. That's a sucker bet," Xander stated, glancing down at his menu.

"Hah. Darn," Faith said, laughing. She settled back into the corner of her seat, one leg sprawled out along it. Giving Xander a serious look, she said, "See, all the guys I ever met were losers. Most of the chicks, too. Then I met you and the cheerleader, and Red and Wolfie, and figured you were really more of the same, y'know?"

"You haven't lost me on the hairpins yet," Xander said, nodding. They gave Charlene their orders when she swung by and then he returned his attention to Faith.

"So I start watching you guys, and while I got my doubts about Red sometimes, you and Cordy kinda turned my head inside out on some things," Faith finished. She bit into her cheeseburger.

"While I'd like to let my ego bloat here from the whole not-a-loser thing, Cordy'd probably disagree," Xander took a bite of his hash browns.

That was something else that had managed to impress Faith. Most – hell, _all_ – of the guys she'd known would be smug as hell and puffed up like a rooster after sharing a room with a pair of hotties like her and Cordy for several weeks. Harris... Xander managed it with a kind of dazed kid-on-Christmas wonder in his eyes. When she managed to catch him when he was certain that neither of them were looking, she saw an expression that said the alarm was going to go off and ruin the dream, any minute now. He was dead certain of it, and just as dead certain he didn't deserve any of this.

She could kinda relate to that last part.

"Bull," Faith said, finally. She inhaled the other half of her burger. "C wouldn't stick it out for, what, almost a year if she thought you were a complete waste."

"And again, my ego soars from the almost compliment," Xander said, smirking. Faith grinned, and he looked at her curiously, "Where are you headed with this?"

"Don't know for sure yet," Faith admitted. "I'll let you know when I figure it out."


	9. Chapter 8: Changes in Latitudes

**Chapter 8: Changes in Latitudes -**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; Buffy's Apartment, Los Angeles, early early AM.**_

_A graveyard, but not one that Buffy remembered ever having seen. From where she was standing, it seemed to extend off in all directions, haphazard rows of mausoleums and drunkenly leaning headstones as far as she could see until they were lost in the light fog shrouding the place. There was movement in that fog, and figures..._

_Not quite endless figures, but lots of them. Lines of figures, almost translucent, faces and bodies marked with the wounds of whatever had killed them. As she watched, she began to recognize a few, here and there._

_The very dead guy from Aura's locker that first day at school... Dr. Gregory, carrying his head in the crook of one arm... Principal Flutie, bone showing through in places where his body was half eaten... Dave trailing a length of rope from a noose about his throat... Gaps where missing organs should be in their bodies, Emily and Morgan stroll past, arm in arm... Kevin and a large group of blood drained students trailing behind him... Jesse, turning to dust and reforming endlessly... Carlo... the two students Spike killed at Parent-Teacher... Shelia... Ampata, with Rodney trailing behind her dragging the trunk containing the real Ampata, crumbling to rot only to reform and trundle on again... Jenny Calendar, her head lolling at a strange angle... a half eaten Nurse Greenliegh... _

_And more. Buffy notices finally that all of them seem engaged in a macabre sort of dance as they circle past the area where she stands. There seems to be a tall figure at the head of the bizarre conga line, someone rail thin with a white top-hat and a skull face, trailing a long cloak trimmed in bones through the mist behind him._

_"Muenster?"_

_With a startled gasp, Buffy spins around at the word, her arms coming up in an automatic block, only to find a bizarre looking man covered in slices of cheddar holding a plate full of white cheese wedges between his hands. He extends the platter towards her._

_"It's really very good - have some," he said._

_"Uh, n-no thanks," Buffy shook her head, wide-eyed. "Who are you?"_

_"You sure?" The man frowns behind his thick, horn rimmed glasses, "Become the cheese, or the cheese becomes you."_

_"Outta try it," another voice remarked. "Smells like shit, but it's pretty damned good."_

_Buffy spun again to face the new voice, only to find the wild, dark haired girl from her dream of before perched on a leaning tombstone, munching on a wedge of muenster._

_"All, right - you I recognize," Buffy's brows came down and she glared at the other girl. "Who are you, anyway?"_

_"You, I think," the brunette tilted her head slightly, her brow creasing. "Or maybe you're me. Hard to say."_

_Buffy made a rude noise, still glaring. "Ehh. Try again."_

_"It's your head, you figure me out," the brunette smirked at her. "I'm fucked if I can."_

_"You're definitely not me," Buffy stated. "I don't talk like that."_

_The darker girl laughed, standing up on her toes on the headstone and stretching. "Maybe you should. That might be the problem."_

_"Doubt it's that simple," Buffy shook her head. She chewed on her lip thoughtfully for a moment, "Ok - try this: what are we doing here?"_

_The other girl dropped to squat on her toes on the grave stone, arms resting on her knees. "Dunno. Your dream, you tell me - I'm just watching the show," she said. She jerked her chin to Buffy's left, past Buffy's shoulder._

_Buffy gave her a suspicious look, but turned in that direction, angling to keep the other girl in sight from the corner of her eye as she did so._

_The line of translucent, dancing dead were gone, replaced by a much longer line of girls. All races and manners of dress and what appeared to be all cultures, stretching back into mist. Mostly teens, but a few, a very few, in their early twenties it seemed. Buffy could make out Kendra, barely, at the head of the procession._

_After a moment she spotted herself, or what appeared to be herself, standing off to one side of the column of girls and watching as it passed._

_"That's bizarre," the dark haired girl remarked. Buffy turned back towards her, frowning again. "Huh," the brunette said, "Maybe I'm your subconscious."_

_"Look, I don't know who - or what - you are, but there's no way you're me," Buffy stated. "Your hair's the wrong color, for one thing."_

_"Oh yeah, right," the brunette laughed. "I buy that, really. Like that carpet's gonna match those drapes, Blondie," she said, snickering._

_"Just __what__ do you mean by that?" Buffy started forward, fists clenching, only to stop abruptly when the mud faced woman from the earlier dream leaned out from behind the tombstone and the other girl, glaring at her, then vanished behind it almost as quick. "Who's that?" Buffy pointed._

_"Huh?" The brunette craned around, looking down and behind herself. "There's nobody there."_

_"Is too! There she is again," Buffy resisted an overwhelming urge to stamp her foot as the mud woman leaned out and back again._

_Shaking her head and looking at Buffy like she was feeble, the brunette sighed heavily and looked again, turning completely around on the gravestone and searching thoroughly before turning back with a shrug. "Nope, nobody." She gave Buffy a curious look, "Better question, who are you?"_

_"Me? I'm the Slayer," Buffy said. Not what she'd intended to answer, but she didn't seem to have full vocal control here over some things..._

_"Are you sure?" The half grin was mocking in a way that Buffy found infuriating. "How do you know?" She asked._

_"Because," Buffy spoke very slowly and clearly, "That's what the Watcher told me. I'm the Slayer - the Chosen One."_

_"Huh." The brunette's forehead creased, "Thought Kendra was The Slayer."_

_"Well, Kendra was a slayer, yeah," Buffy started... there was something about the way the other girl said the words 'The Slayer' that she couldn't quite pin down._

_"And now someone __else__ is The Slayer."_

_"No! I mean, well, yeah - there's another Slayer now __too__, but... "_

_"Ah, whatever," the dark haired girl jumped down, "It's been real, it's been fun - but I got friends and a life to get back to." She turned away with an idle wave in Buffy's direction, "See ya."_

_The dark, mud faced woman stood, leaning out from behind the grave stone. Dreadlocks flying out behind her, she stepped forward and plunged her hand into the dark haired girl's chest through the back. The brunette staggered slightly, then straightened and continued on, disappearing into the fog._

_"Choose," the mud painted woman strode forward, thrusting her hand out into Buffy's face, a bloody heart clasped between her fingers. "Choose."_

_"What?!" Buffy recoiled from the grisly present, "No! I - I... "_

_"No life. No name." The mud caked woman glared at Buffy, taking a bite from the still beating heart and her face shifted, half staying as it was – black, daubed with mud and streaked with ocher and red – and half morphing into that of the girl with the coffee colored eyes and the long, wavy dark hair. She offered the remainder of the heart to Buffy. "You are Death. Alone. Destruction is your life, Death your companion and lover, bones and dust are your bed." Her eyes glittered, boring into Buffy's hazel ones, "You live in the death cry, the moment when life ceases to be."_

_"No!" It poured out of Buffy in an agonized wail of denial and pain._

_"Choose," the woman thrust the heart into Buffy's face again and Buffy threw herself back away from it._

_Something turned under her foot as she stepped back, and she tripped, falling backwards and away endlessly..._

**...**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; Chase Manor pool house, early early AM.**_

She was sinking beneath murky depths of consciousness, drowning in them - able to see the waking surface above yet unable to broach it. She reached for it, thrashing and kicking, only to drift deeper. Dream currents jostled her roughly, shaking her about, and she pushed against them. There was a vague impression of voices, calling her name from a vast distance and she pushed towards them...

Faith sat up, hair and eyes wild and cold sweat beading on her. She took a deep, shuddering breath and pushed her hair back from her face.

"Ow!" Cordelia's voice brought Faith's head around to see the cheerleader sitting up, rubbing at her jaw and glaring at her.

"Cordy?" Faith shrank back a little from the glare, sinking back into the pillows. "Err, sorry?"

"Last time I wake you up from a nightmare," Cordelia grumbled. "_Next_ time I'll poke you from across the room with a long stick."

"Sorry," Faith mumbled again. "You ok?"

"Yeah... nothing plastic surgery and a visit to the orthodontist won't fix," Cordelia's glare faded slowly, replaced by a look of concern. "Ah, it's all right. Your elbow just caught me when I was watching the other one."

"You sure?" Faith sat up slightly, still breathing heavy.

"Yeah yeah," Cordelia waved it off. "Bad one, huh?"

"Kind of... " Faith shook her head, "_Weird_, more like," she said.

Cordelia frowned, getting up from her side of the bed. "Hang on, I'll get us some water." She grabbed a couple of bottled waters from the mini-fridge by the wall, and returned, handing one to Faith as she re-seated herself on her edge of the bed. "Don't think either of us are getting back to sleep right away."

"Probably not," Faith agreed. She took a drink of water, frowning.

"Was this one of those weird dreams like Buffy used to get? The prophetic ones?" Cordelia asked in a worried tone.

"Maybe... no," Faith shook her head. "Slayer dream, I think, but... weird, more like it was meant for someone else. Like I was sucked in and watching someone else's dream and saying and doing things that didn't make any sense to me."

"Bizarre," Cordelia said, agreeing. "You've had, what do you call them... Slayer dreams before?"

"Yeah." Faith nodded, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them. "Always a bunch of cryptic bullshit and warnings that don't do any good because you can't figure them out in time."

"Ok, did you recognize anything in this one?" Cordelia asked. "Places, people, things... ?"

"Huh. Not really... graveyard, but kinda movie graveyard type, not any particular one," Faith said, scowling. "Weird naked black chick with mud on her face and dreadlocks. Little blonde with kind of a pointy face and big eyes... a whattayacallit, heart face?"

"But you didn't recognize either of them?" Cordelia said, biting her lower lip. "That last almost sounds like Buffy, a little bit."

"Huh." Faith swore, snapping her fingers. "Sonofa... thought she looked familiar. Don't know why I didn't recognize her from her pictures at Mrs. S's."

Cordelia nodded. "Dreams are strange, even normal ones," she said. She frowned slightly, "Hate to say, but you probably should tell this one to Giles."

Faith pulled her knees in tighter to her chest, "Yeah... " she said. "Don't think it'll help. Didn't see anything that'd show where she is or what's happening with her."

"Maybe he can draw something out that'll make sense," Cordelia said, a bit doubtfully.

"Maybe." Faith looked over at the other girl, her eyebrows drawing down slightly. She reached out, running a fingertip along Cordelia's jawline. "That's gonna bruise a bit."

"What?" Cordelia's eyes went wide. She jumped up and ran to the vanity, bending over to peer into the mirror, turning her head from side to side. After several minutes she came back, shaking her head. "Nothing a bit of makeup won't cover. I've gotten worse from vamps."

"Didn't say it'd disfigure you for life," Faith said, her lips twitching up at the corners. She glanced at the clock, "Still early - not even daylight yet."

"Yeah," Cordelia glanced at the time as well, nodding. "I'll be right back." Stretching, she disappeared into the bathroom for several minutes. Faith slid out to do the same after she returned.

Slipping back under the covers after she came back, Faith yawned, stretching. "Kinda miss having the boytoy here, but being able to sit up and talk, just the two of us, was cool too."

"Yeah," Cordelia grinned, nodding. "There'll be other times. And we're all three still heading up to Cachuma in a few days before school starts back in."

Nodding sleepily, Faith said, "Sounds good."

**...**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; Sunnydale High School Library, late morning.**_

Willow looked up from her computer terminal, glancing around for Giles. "Ok, this might work... " she said, spotting him over at the weapons cage. "Come take a look?"

"Certainly," Giles said, nodding. He came over to peer at the screen past Willow's shoulder.

"Not quite downtown, but a few blocks out," she said, pointing at the screen. "It used to be a thrift store of some time until the owners were killed in a 'bizarre wild animal attack' a few years back, according to the news archives."

"Fancy that," Giles said, dryly. "In Sunnydale? Good heavens."

Willow grinned, continuing to read through various items. "Let's see... no one who's leased it since has kept it very long, and it's sat idle for two years. Should be able to get it for a pretty low rate, according to Cordelia logic. And, ooh! Not big, but lots of square footage."

"Hmmm." Giles removed his glasses, letting them dangle from his fingers as he stared thoughtfully at the monitor. "And it has a small living quarters upstairs and an office at the back. Interesting."

"Could be useful, maybe?" Willow said, looking up at him.

"Quite so," Giles nodded. "We can place wards around it that will keep at least minor entities away, if not major demons and the like." He added, "If you wish, we can go look at it this afternoon, and if it seems suitable and in decent repair, we can talk to the Realtors."

"Cool," Willow said, beaming. "And, we've been looking at getting some more of the new things with the Scooby Fund money, since those worked out. It'd give us a place to practice with them more regular like."

"Indeed," Giles said. He glanced down at the young witch, "If I may, I could possibly defray some of the cost on certain items, such as crossbows and holy water, now that we have the additional Council funds for training items."

"Oh! That'd be great, maybe," Willow said, frowning slightly. "Except... "

"Except?"

"Well, if we buy them, then the Council doesn't own them, they're ours." Willow stated.

Giles nodded. "We'll see what works out best." He replaced his glasses, saying, "Let's move on to your magic lesson and free up this afternoon for examining err, business opportunities."

**...**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; Sunnydale Motor Lodge, late afternoon.**_

"Well," Cordelia said as she neatly pulled the convertible into a parking slot, "At least it's a step up from the Downtowner."

"Yup," Faith agreed, nodding. "Hot water that lasts more than five minutes, cable, Internet - which would matter if I had a computer," she grinned, "and no porno soundtrack coming through the walls."

"Ick," Cordelia made a face, getting out of the drivers door. Faith leaned in to grab her pack, bag, and duffel bag from the back seat as Cordelia said, "We'll figure out something better sooner or later."

"Cordy... " Faith rolled her eyes. She unlocked and pushed open the door, striding in to toss her bags on the bed. "This is cool, really. It's better than half the places I stayed at coming across country."

"And that _so_ makes me shudder at the thought of doing a road trip with you," Cordelia stated, following her in. She looked around critically, nodding after a bit. "Well, it's not the Regency or even the Marriott, but this isn't half bad. Kind of bare, but it's clean."

"For a rent by the week place," Faith agreed. She dropped into one of the room's chairs. "Patrol, then Bronze later? Or you gonna stay at home to wait for the folks to come in?"

"Neither. I told Tamara I'd meet her and go running around," Cordelia said. "She's one of the only of the Cordettes I think I can stand any more, her and Aura... no point in alienating her."

"They give you a hard time over the Xan?" Faith asked, raising her eyebrows.

Cordelia frowned slightly, "Surprisingly, no. I don't think Tamara cares really, one way or the other, and Aura just said it could be worse," Cordelia grinned, "Like I could be dating Jonathan. Or Willow."

Faith snickered, and Cordelia cocked her head slightly, asking, "You? I mean, plans?"

"Well, Xan said something about slipping out later to get some quality Willow time in for a change," Faith said, "So it sounds like: patrol, food, and then spending time with Mr. Cable here."

Cordelia's lips twitched at the Willow mention, but she merely said, "Sounds good. We can all meet up at the library sometime tomorrow."

"Works."

**...**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; E. Chestnut St., Sunnydale, late afternoon.**_

"Gotta say: kinda nice in an abandoned store front sorta way," Xander remarked. He stuck his hands in his pockets, turning in a slow circle and giving the interior a once over. "It has that homey, lived-in-by-rodents thing going for it."

"Ick," Willow's eyes widened slightly. "Do you really think there's rats?"

The old two story building was long and narrow, occupying the width of a block at the corner of Chestnut and Bruker, about three blocks from Sunnydale's Main Street. A small parking lot with a single row of parking spaces separated it from Bruker on one side, and a narrow alley separated it from the next buildings over on the other. Inside, there was a row of glass display cases separated by a narrow aisle from the left wall, with an elderly cash register at one corner near the front door. A walled section at the left rear enclosed a narrow office and the Men's and Women's restrooms, with a narrow gallery along the right wall extending to the back and the rear Exit door. A short set of metal stairs along the right rear corner led up to the second floor.

A scattering of litter, broken glass, and other debris completed the decor.

"Ahem," Giles gave a slight cough, looking reprovingly at Xander. "I do realize it will take some cleanup, of course. I was rather more interested in your opinion of its suitability for conversion into a training area."

"Hmmm." Xander turned in a slow circle again, frowning slightly. "Plenty of space in the front here for mats, bags, and exercise equipment. Not sure what we'd use the display cases for, but... " he pointed to the right wall, "We could put weapon racks and cabinets over there, and set the center area here for sparring." Xander stuck his hands in his pockets again and headed towards the back, debris crunching underfoot. "That gallery between the stairs and the office side would make a decent area for throwing if we put targets along the back wall."

"Oh - and the longer space upstairs for crossbow targets," Willow added.

"Quite," Giles said. He frowned thoughtfully. "We could put in bookshelves and a couple of tables in the rest of the space near the small flat at the upstairs rear, I suppose - for additional research materials as they are acquired." He glanced dubiously at the display cases, "I'm certain we can find _some_ use for those... "

"I like it," Xander stated. "That gives us about twenty-five yards for crossbow range up there, and about ten down here for knives and thrown axes and stuff."

Willow nodded. "A-and we have parking of our own, too," she added. "And the shower upstairs for after workouts."

"I'm certain that will please Cordelia," Giles said, with a small smile. "She will no doubt want her own reserved space."

"With a gold name plate," Xander smirked.

"Well," Giles looked around again. "It seems structurally sound, from what I can tell. Let us return the keys to the Realtor, and negotiate with them for a lease so that we may begin making preparations for cleanup and refitting, shall we?"

"Might as well," Xander said, shrugging. He glanced at Willow, who shrugged and nodded back.

"Excellent," Giles said. "Good show, Willow." Willow beamed at him, and he gave one last look around, "And best of all, we can train without having that annoying little troll underfoot all the time."


	10. Chapter 9: Changes in Attitudes

**Chapter 9: Changes in Attitudes -**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; Sunnydale Motor Lodge, night.**_

_'Home sweet home,'_ Faith thought. _'Err, home sweet something, anyway.'_

Glancing around the motel room, she gave a slight nod of satisfaction. Everything was put away, not that that had taken all _that_ long, even if she _did_ have more clothes and stuff now than she'd walked into this town with. Weapons stored away and hidden as best as possible. Rent paid for a full month up to the end of September, with plenty of cash left to spare - she hadn't quite hit the end of what she'd had left from her cross country trip by the time they'd started clearing those vamp nests, and the Council stipend was _just_ enough to cover the Motor Lodge's weekly rate with a bit left over for eating money.

Bare, and barely furnished - just a bed, TV and table, two chairs, small chest of drawers, and a cheap nightstand - but the room was a vast improvement over the roach pit she'd had at the Downtowner. No water stains along the walls from the cracked ceilings. No rent-by-the-hour guests, so a definite lack of sex soundtrack coming through the thin walls at all hours. Even had a small twenty four hour cafe attached to it. All in all, she wasn't complaining: as she'd told Cordy, she'd stayed in much worse while traveling.

As much as she'd enjoyed the past several weeks living with Cordelia and Xander at the Chase pool house, she was kind of glad to be on her own again. Faith had gotten used to solitude over the past years of her life... and her month or more on the road had strengthened that. Despite how much she'd liked the odd living arrangement the tree of them had worked out, and how much she'd enjoyed the unusual-to-her sensation of having company she liked, she'd started feeling a bit claustrophobic the past week or so.

The sudden heating up of Xander and Cordelia's relationship hadn't helped that any. When the sexual tension between the two had hit the 'cut it with a knife' stage along with the pheromones, it'd sent _Faith's_ urges into overdrive as well. The fact that she had grown pretty strongly attracted to _both_ of the other teens hadn't helped matters. Keeping her hands to herself - literally at times - had been almost driving her over the edge on occasion when she wanted nothing more than to jump both their bones so badly she could taste it.

She grinned to herself. She hadn't been lying to Willow in the library: Faith _liked_ and enjoyed sex, and always had since she'd first discovered it at the age of thirteen or so. As far as she was concerned, even bad sex was pretty good, all in all. While she wasn't a nympho, or at least she didn't _think_ she was... she had suspicions she probably _definitely_ qualified for the oversexed category.

Which had been starting to turn into a minor problem. Xander was hands off as far as she was concerned, at least without Cordelia's permission, and Cordelia was pretty straight as far as Faith could tell. She hadn't been about to go grab 'n roll some random guy from the Bronze while living there - that had just felt vaguely wrong and oddly disloyal while she was living with the other two. Nor had she been about to drag some guy home to the pool house's spare bedroom. That concept not only felt more than disloyal, it felt trashy to her.

Not a real issue any longer. A pity she couldn't work up a lot of enthusiasm for the idea of grabbing some random loser...

She _would_ miss the unexpectedly pleasant sensation of sharing a bed with two other people - not for sex, but just for the closeness and sensation of actually _enjoying_ having someone to wake up to that she could stand to be around. Sleeping alone was going to feel wicked strange for awhile.

Oh well. Nothing to be done for it, she supposed.

Giving herself a final once over in the mirror, she decided she looked good enough for a solo patrol and possible night stop by the Bronze. Checking to make sure she had extra stakes in the cargo pockets of her jeans, she shrugged a light denim jacket on over her long dagger and brushed her hair out of her eyes. Not bad, she decided. Smoking hot, even in casual wear.

Locking the room's door behind her, she tucked away the key and decided to take a turn through Sunnydale's downtown area for a couple of burgers and some coffee before making the cemetery and alley rounds.

After wolfing down a pair of cheese burgers and a Coke, she decided to splurge a bit and hit Sunnydale's excuse of a Starbuck's competitor, the Espresso Pump. Heading in through the door of the place, almost the first thing she spotted was Harris and Willow sitting at a small table off to one side near the stage. With a quick grin, she angled her course that direction.

"Hey guys," Faith snagged a chair from a nearby empty table and swung it around to sit with her arms folded across the back. "Fancy bumping into you two here."

"Hey, Faith," Willow returned her grin, bobbing her head in greeting. "How goes?"

"If it isn't my other favorite gal," Xander said, his lopsided grin coming out as he watched her settle in. "What's shaking?"

"Nothing but the bod, Harris," Faith smirked. "And it's going, Red. Pretty good, so far."

"Cool," Willow said. "Uhh... patrolling?"

"Yup." Nodding, Faith asked, "What're you two up to?"

"Catching up, mostly," Xander said. He grinned at Willow, "Followed by a fast paced and rousing game of miniature golf later at Putt-Putt Acres, maybe."

"Wow." Faith let her eyes widen. "You guys _do_ know how to party. Sure you can stand all that excitement, Red?"

"Ummm... maybe," Willow gave her a mock serious frown. "It is a pretty big step, but - hey, you have to grab the fun sometime, right?"

"Right," Faith said, nodding seriously. She grinned, "Speaking of, I enjoyed the other night with you and Oz."

"Good," Willow stated. "Oh, hey - we think we may have found a place for training and stuff."

Xander nodded, adding, "Needs some cleanup, but it looks workable. Giles signed a lease on it this afternoon."

"Wicked," Faith said. "That'll be good to get that going."

"Uh, you want to join us?" Willow asked, "I mean, for mini-golf and running around and all?"

"Naw," Faith shook her head, smiling. "Don't want to horn in on the quality Scooby time thing. Just swung in here to grab some coffee and a danish before making the rounds."

"Oh, ok, cool," Willow said. Xander looked slightly disappointed for a moment, but covered it with a half grin.

"You don't know what you're turning down, Missy," Xander said. "You haven't lived until you've experienced the joys of the Putt-Putt."

"I know, and it's got me all broken up," Faith grinned, getting up and returning her chair to where it came from. "I'm gonna leave you guys to the excitement. Catch you at the library tomorrow?"

"Sure." Willow said.

"Laters," Faith gave the pair a small nod and headed up to the counter. Ordering a triple espresso to go, she took it and her danish and headed back out again.

**................................................**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; Helen's Diner, Los Angeles, night.**_

Four days. No Pike. No phone calls (never mind that her apartment didn't have a phone), no visits at the diner, no nothing. Buffy had lost count of the number of times she'd started in the direction of Pike's apartment after work, only to stop resolutely and turn back. Why should _she_ be the one to go talk to _him_? _He_ was the one being unreasonable about the whole thing. It's not like she'd _planned_ on falling in love with a souled vampire or any of the nastiness that followed.

Pike could just _keep_ his necrophiliac insinuations. And his cute little girl. And his broad shoulders and quirky grin and head ducking and... oh boy.

It wasn't bad enough that she couldn't quit running that last day with Pike, and the conversations afterward, through her head over and over. Or that that joined in with all of the memories of Angel, especially his face as she'd stuck the sword through him. _Now_ she was getting weird slayery type dreams on top of the whole mess.

And on top of that her work had started suffering as well, as evinced by the manager's grouchy comments and Janice's increasingly unsympathetic comments about Buffy's preoccupation.

Finally making it through her shift, Buffy finished up her side work and took her apron off after counting up her day's tips. Calling a 'so long' to Janice, she pushed open the door and headed out into the LA night.

Not much point in doing anything except grabbing a quick cappuccino and heading home. What passed for her social life had dwindled to exactly zero following her and Pike's falling out.

Drinking one cappuccino at the little coffee bar, she splurged and got a second one to go. While doing a bit of casual window shopping along the way, something caught her attention and she frowned slightly. Cutting through a department store just down the street, she spent some time browsing various displays while watching the area around her.

After a bit over a half an hour of browsing, she came to a decision. Exiting the store, Buffy strode quickly up the street, ducking into the mouth of an alley between the department store and the next building over and flattening herself against a wall, waiting.

She didn't have to wait long. Buffy's quarry came ambling briskly down the street after about five minutes, looking in all directions as if trying to spot where she'd disappeared to. It was the work of a moment to lean out and grab a double handful of cheap, rumpled jacket and loudly colored shirtfront and heave, sending the fellow tumbling end over end deeper into the alley to fetch up against a dumpster. The work of much less than a moment to cross the distance in two long strides and grab another handful of loud shirtfront and haul the man up, slamming him hard up against the dumpster. She wasn't quite tall enouh to dangle him completely off the ground, but she could pin him immobile.

"Hi there," Buffy said. "We should talk."

"Oh, hey!" Doyle did his best to grin ingratiatingly at her. "Fancy meeting you here?"

"You know?" Buffy cocked her head, looking up at him. "When you became a regular at Helen's and we started talking, I thought it was nice 'cause - hey! regular customer! Even if he is fashion challenged. But when you started showing up in odd places everywhere else, it became not so nice stalkery guy."

"Whoa whoa, hey," Doyle shook his head, holding his hands out. "It's not like that, really... "

"It's not?" Buffy pulled him forward a bit and slammed him back into the dumpster, "Funny, it looks an awful lot _just_ like that to me."

"No, really! There's nothing stalkery, err, stalkerish about it," Doyle stated. "Really! I can explain... "

Buffy pulled him forward again, slamming him back into the dumpster once more. "Oh, I'll bet that's just a doozy."

"Would you quit that?!?" Doyle grimaced from the impact. "It's not what it looks like, honest!" Buffy raised a skeptical eyebrow and he said, "Ok, so maybe it is what it looks like, kinda. But it's not really _stalking_ stalking... "

"Oh, really," Buffy shook her head, slamming him against the dumpster again. "Hey! I'll bet if we go out there, we can find this nice LAPD officer who'd just _love_ to hear all about it."

"No! You can't go to the police on this," Doyle stammered.

"Really? Hrrmm," Buffy said, cocking her head thoughtfully. "Let's see... young waitress type living alone. Scuzzy looking stalkery guy. I'm thinking it's a natural." Just for good measure, she slammed him up against the dumpster once more.

"Ow! Stop that for a minute, Christ!" He gave her an earnest look, "Look, I've been trying to find a good chance to talk to you... "

"Bzzt!" There was another whamming sound as Buffy thumped him on the dumpster again. Doyle was starting to look a bit woozy. "I'll just _bet_ you have," she said.

"I have! Really," Doyle said, a bit weakly. "See, I get these visions and... "

"Visions, huh," Buffy clanged him against the dumpster once more. In a cheerfully syrupy voice she asked, "And just what was I wearing in these... visions?"

"No, it's not like that," Doyle started, then his eyes lost focus slightly. Buffy shook her head.

"_Men._" She whanged him again, a bit harder this time. Doyle's eyes rolled up for a moment as his head slammed painfully into the dumpster side, and he almost seemed to have a slight convulsion. His face turned greenish, blue spikes popping out of it, and when his eyes rolled down they were red.

"Oh, goody!" Buffy said, her tone disgusted. "It gets better - _demony_ mister stalkery guy." One hand came off of his shirtfront and reappeared holding a stake.

"Oh no... " Doyle's eyes got very wide. He put his hands up protectively, shaking his head slightly and making the spikes and green go away. "I'm a good demon, honest! Or at least not a bad demon! Half! Half demon - please don't stake me!"

"You're a good half demon stalkery guy," Buffy said, stopping with the stake cocked back by her ear. "Who gets visions."

"Right!" Doyle nodded so hard he looked like a bobblehead, "Painful, agonizing visions. You're not going to stake me are you?"

"I'm thinking about it," Buffy said.

"They come from the Powers That Be, the visions that is," Doyle said in a slightly desperate tone of voice.

"The Powers that be what?"

"The powers that be about to be getting me staked, I think?" Doyle said. Buffy's eyes narrowed and Doyle threw his hands up again, "I don't know what they are. They're the good guys, right? They send visions of things that are going to happen, or of people that are important in the grand scheme of things."

"And they sent you vision thingies about me," Buffy said, her tone oozing skepticism. "So you're a balance demon? Like that Whistler character?"

"Who? No, I'm a seer," Doyle said. "I don't know any Whistler character. Look, lady, just let me go for a minute and I'll explain... "

"Ok," Buffy unclenched her fist from around his shirt, stepping back. "But if you try to run, you won't make it out of the alley," she said, warningly.

"Thanks," Doyle worked his shoulders, attempting to straighten his shirt and jacket. "I get visions, like. Things that are gonna happen, and of people who are like, Champions, if they want to direct me to someone."

"And they sent you visions leading you to me," Buffy said, tapping her stake against one palm.

"Yeah. Well, no, not exactly," Doyle said. He saw Buffy's eyes narrow again and he put in, hastily, "Not at first, at least. I was getting visions of this big, dark, broody type of guy, all forehead and good looks. But then there was one with this kind of big stone demon-beast thing, and then they quit and I started getting them of you."

If Doyle noticed Buffy's face and eyes change, darkening towards the end of his speech, it didn't register on him.

"So I'm supposed to be a Champion for these 'Powers That Be' types," Buffy said, slowly. "And they sent me you to... ?"

"Right. And I'm supposed to be your Seer, I think," Doyle said. "To, like, be helping you to find people who need helping and all."

"You get the visions, _you_ help them," Buffy said.

"It doesn't work like that," Doyle said, almost desperately. "I'm just not a hero type. I'm not brave, I can't fight, and I'm not all that strong or anything."

"So go find this Gunn guy over near the Badlands," Buffy said. "He fights vampires - I'm sure they could use a seer."

"Look, lady," Doyle spread his hands. "I'd love to. But it doesn't work that way. They didn't send me visions of this Gunn character, they sent me to you."

"Too bad. I'm not interested," Buffy stated. Her voice was soft and very cold. "Tell your 'Powers' they got the wrong girl. I quit being a hero after I sent the big broody guy through the stone demon thingy." She spun on her heel, her blond hair fanning out behind her, and strode out of the alleyway.

"Hey - wait," Doyle called out after her.

Buffy turned slightly, looking back over her shoulder at him. "I mean it. And if I see you again, anywhere, you, and me, and Mr. Pointy are going to have a short talk." Tucking the stake away wherever it had come from, she continued out of the alley.

From behind her, Buffy could hear a soft Irish voice saying, "Well, _that _certainly went well... "

**................................................**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; Sunnydale, Kaylee's Diner, night.**_

"Here's your sodas, kids," the waitress set the drinks down on the table in front of Xander and Willow. "I'll bring your pie out in a few minutes."

"Thanks, Charlene," Willow said. She carefully and methodically unwrapped her straw and stuck it in her glass.

"You're welcome," Charlene put her pad away, then paused, giving the two kids a curious look. "Kind of unusual to see you in here lately except all as a group. Where's the rest of your friends tonight?"

"Oh, off doing other stuff," Xander made a vague gesture. "Left the it to Willster and me to uphold the ancient traditions."

"Ah." She nodded, "As long as everyone's all right, then," she said. She headed off for the counter and the order window, leaving Xander and Willow alone.

"Cheater," Xander aimed a forefinger at his oldest friend. "Those last shots were against all the laws of God and physics."

"Me? Cheat?" Willow gave him her best wide eyed innocent look. "It's not _my_ fault I have natural talents."

"Oh, right," Xander said. "I scoff. Scoff, scoff. See? Sound of me scoffing."

Giggling, Willow shook her head. "Silly mortal. You just hate admitting you're outclassed by the Goddess of Miniature Golfing."

"Scoff," Xander repeated, grinning. "I shall yet have my vengeance." He settled back in his booth seat, as Chalene brought out their desserts, feeling content. While he'd been really enjoying Cordelia and Faith's company in the past weeks, he had missed the days of spending time just hanging out and being goofy with Willow.

"Sure you will," Willow said in a comforting tone. "I've really missed this," she said, echoing Xander's thoughts of a minute or so earlier. "Seems like forever since we've just run around together doing stuff."

"I know," Xander said. "Don't worry - school's starting and we'll have classes, lunch, and study sessions to look forward to. Just like old times." He scooped up a forkful of lemon meringue, gulping it down.

"Yeah... " Willow shook her head, the corners of her mouth turning down. "Just not the same. I miss when the three of us - you, me, and Buffy used to just hang out together."

"So do I, but... " Xander made an awkward shrug. He cocked his head slightly, "Too bad Faith didn't join us?"

"Yeah, kinda," Willow said. She laughed then, "But I can't picture Faith being a mini-golf kind of girl." Her face grew a bit serious, "I like Faith, I really do. But I kind of miss having someone to do girl things with, you know?"

"Yeah... " Xander said, trailing off awkwardly. He finished his pie, scraping the plate clean. He wasn't really certain what to add to that, so he just left it hanging there, looking down at his hands.

"I know, it's not going to be the same," Willow said, waving her hand. "Even if Buffy did come back. But that doesn't mean I don't miss it."

"Things change, I guess. We're seniors, now, last year of high school... " Xander shrugged. "Things would be different after this year anyway, what with you, Buffy, and Cordelia going off to college, and me entering the fast paced and high paying world of burger flipping."

"Oh, come on, Xander," Willow snickered, "It's not that bad. You're going to college with us. Just maybe not _with_ us with us because some of us might be going to other states but still... "

"Breathe, Will," Xander said, smirking.

"Right. Breathing now," Willow agreed, taking a deep breath.

"Even if I do, it'll be Sunnydale U, or the community college. Not MIT or UCLA or wherever," Xander remarked, shrugging. He glanced back up to see Willow watching him worrying at the ring on his right hand with a slight frown on her face. He started to cover his hand with the other one, and resisted the impulse.

"Huh. That's new," Willow stated. "When did you start wearing rings?" She looked up at him, her eyes puzzled.

"Oh, err, recently?" Xander winced at hearing how weak that sounded to his own ears. He took a deep breath, "It's new," he held his hand out.

"I see that. It looks really cool," Willow nodded. She frowned a bit more deeply, "But... isn't that a... ?"

"Promise ring, right. Cordelia and I exchanged rings," he said. It came out in a bit of a rush.

"Wow." Willow's eyes got big. "Rings?" Her voice came out as kind of a squeak. She cleared her throat, eyes still wide, "When?"

"Other night, when we went to Brophy's?" Xander said, cocking his head, slightly. "You're not, uh, freaked out or mad at me, are you?"

"No... " Willow shook her head slowly. "Why would I be? Well, a little freaked out, maybe, because hey - I mean, Cordy, and... rings? Wow."

"Wow is right, I guess," Xander ducked his head, a slow half grin coming out. "Seemed like the thing to do?"

"I guess? Isn't this kind of a major thing, though?" Willow asked. "I mean," she spread her hands, still looking a bit stunned. "This is like Buffy and Angel and those claddah rings and... "

"No." Xander's face shut down completely and Willow trailed off with a slight squeak. "This is _nothing_ like Dead Boy and his ancient Irish betrothal stuff."

"I didn't mean... " Willow waved her hands aimlessly. "I just meant... this is kind of a forever thing, and it's Cordelia, and... are you _sure_ about this?" The last came out in kind of a breathless rush.

"I spent something like over a month agonizing over this and trying to decide, Will, and almost a half a month picking out the rings," Xander said, slowly. "I think I'm pretty sure."

"I just mean," Willow shook her head again. "It's a lot to take in. It wasn't that long ago it was Valentine's Day and you guys were breaking up for good, and now this?"

"We got back together though, right?" Xander said. "And Cordelia blew off her friends for that, and it's been a long summer since then."

"I know you've been living with her over there the past few weeks, but... " Willow trailed off, sounding like she knew that was a wrong thing to say as soon as she saw Xander's wince.

"I guess I kinda knew you wouldn't understand," Xander said, quietly. "That's why I didn't say anything right away."

"I do understand!" Willow said in an earnest voice. "It's just... I feel like I'm losing you too along with Buffy now."

Xander rolled his eyes slightly, "Will... you're _not_ losing me. We'll always be best friends," he said. "And this has nothing to do with Buffy."

"No, you're right, it doesn't have anything to do with Buffy," Willow said, her eyes flashing. "It has to do with you, and with with... Cordelia. And you and Cordelia!"

"Look, I know you don't like Cordelia... " Xander started.

"And she doesn't like _me_." Willow's face grew stubborn. "And you - _you_ used to not like her either."

"That was before," Xander said, his face setting just as stubbornly. "She's been great ever since we got back together, and we really like each other." He shook his head, "I guess I kinda hoped you'd be happy for me."

"I am! I mean, I wanna be," Willow said, shaking her head. "But, it's _Cordelia_. It's - it's unnatural."

"Oh?" Xander grew very still, cocking his head and staring at her, "That's funny. You were all Support-O Girl for Buffy and Angel and their," he made air quotes around the words, "'Great, tragic love affair.' You know - the one that killed Miss Calendar, and Kendra, and _almost_ killed you, me, and Giles? And Mrs. Summers?"

"That's different! It's not the same thing!" Willow glared at him.

"Yeah. Cordelia has a soul without a handy escape clause, and a pulse," Xander said, glaring back just as hotly.

Willow snapped back at him, "And she's mean, she's bossy, she's b-be-been taking over ever since Buffy left, and she even said _I_ don't treat you like a real friend."

"Maybe she has a point," Xander said, quietly.

Willow jerked back as if she'd been slapped, her eyes narrowing, "If _that's_ the way you think about it..."

"I don't," Xander said, his voice still quiet. "But I do think _friends_ support the other friend going for what they want, even when they don't agree with their choices."

"Well, I _don't_ agree with this one," Willow said.

"I can tell," Xander replied, softly. He reached into his pocket and took out enough bills to cover their meal, desserts, and tips, throwing them on the table top. He slid out of his end of the booth, standing up. "I supported you and Oz, once I got used to the idea."

Xander stopped about a third of the way up the aisle, turning around and coming back. "It's late," he said. "I'll walk you back to your house."

Willow shook her head, her mouth set in a stubborn line. "I'll call Oz to come and get me."

"Right." Xander looked as if he was going to argue for a moment, then just shook his head and went on up the aisle and out the door.

After a few minutes the waitress, Charlene, came over to the booth. "Do you need anything else, honey?" She glanced toward the doors, "Your friend sure left in a hurry," she remarked. "Is everything all right?"

"No," Willow mumbled. "I'm fine. Every thing's fine."

**................................................**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; Sunnydale, night.**_

Four hours. Six vamps. Pretty slim pickings for a night on the Hellmouth lately, even a weeknight.

At least four of the six had been pairs: one hopped up on the vamp-crack and one carrying. Those might have been a problem for the full group in a fight, but Faith was _hunting_ tonight, not patrolling, and she watched, stalked, and then took them down with brutal efficiency, and they never had a real chance for combat before dusting. If you're in a fair fight, your tactics _suck_.

The rolls of cash went into a pocket before she staked the crippled dealer vamps. The packets of red dust went into various convenience store or filling station toilets along her route. This was getting to be a fairly regular occurrence, she noted. They might not be making headway on locating Dacascos' lair, but they _were_ putting a crimp in his profit margins...

The tour of Sunnydale's cemeteries and major spots of vamp activity ended with Faith on the floor at the Bronze, losing herself in music, movement, and the avid attention of a small cluster of hopeful males. When the band's set ended, she whipped her hair back from her face with a head toss and left all the hopefuls wound up and disappointed as she sauntered to one of the bars at the side of the main room.

Snagging a beer from the bar with the help of her fake Boston ID, she spent the next short while aimlessly prowling the club. She invested a short amount of time toying with and flirting seriously with a fairly nice looking dark haired boy and his equally brunette, and equally interested girlfriend, only to drop the project abruptly when she suddenly realized the only attraction was the girl's faint resemblance to Cordelia.

That sent her out the doors again, back on the prowl for more violent forms of release.

Damned cheerleader. And frigging Harris. Faith decided to blame both of them, and the little witch and guitar player too, for good measure, for screwing her head and her carefully constructed worldview all up.

_Herself_ she blamed for not being too soft to able to get seriously pissed off enough about it to blow them all the hell off and go back to what she used to be..

Two vampless hours later found Faith frustrated and bored at the outskirts of Weatherly Park. Apparently, the half-dozen vampires she'd staked in various locations after leaving the Espresso Pump had been the only ones out and about this evening. A tour of the park's interior didn't turn up anything of interest, and she began working her way back to the area of her motel, deciding to call it a night.

Halfway through the outskirts of Sunnydale's business district, a tingling in her Slayer sense caused her to slow, dropping into hunting mode.

A pipe running down the side of a building from roof almost to the ground made for a handy way to silently reach a better vantage point. Slayer agility and slayer sense allowed for moving from rooftop to rooftop while homing in on her targets. She spotted the pair of vamps long before they had any chance of noticing her, and watched as several individual vampires came up to them to make exchanges. Faith carefully made note of features and dress on the purchasing vamps as they moved away, marking them for later.

Another pipe provided a silent way down from her rooftop. She ghosted across the intervening distance, stakes in hand, until barely five yards separated her from the pair of Dacascos' minions. Covering the last bit in a silent, predatory rush, Faith's left hand stake was buried in the heart of the presumed bodyguard vamp and he was crumbling to dust before either of them registered her.

The other minion didn't even pause to gawk - he bolted full speed away on the woosh of the crumbling vamp and was half a block away before Faith found her balance to pursue. Cursing under her breath, she took off after him.

By the time he made another half block she was fifteen yards behind him and gaining. He threw a frantic glance over his shoulder and ducked into an alley that Faith knew contained a sewer access grating. Muttering imprecations, she stretched out and began to close the remaining distance.

The pursuit ended just past where the alley opened out into a small courtyard filled with trash and trashcans. The running vamp skidded to a halt near the grate, as did Faith, a few yards father back.

Two, four, six... the minion vamp wasn't the only one in the little courtyard. Two more detached from the shadows to either side, making for eight. Faith felt the twinge in her slayer sense from behind telling her that at least two more were joining in from the direction of the alley mouth. She tossed a fast glance over one shoulder, seeing two of the buyers from earlier, and a pair of female vamps she didn't recognize.

The vamp she'd been chasing smirked at her before dropping down the open sewer grate and pulling it shut behind him. A black clad female vamp stepped out from the small half circle of minions arrayed at that end of the courtyard.

"Remember, Dacascos wants her taken alive," the vampiress said, speaking to the other vamps. "For an example for her little gang." There were several mutters from around the group, including at least one of 'then _you_ take her, bitch' that Faith heard clearly.

Faith's right hand stake took the vampiress cleanly through the heart from four yards away, turning her to dust as Faith stepped forward and into a clearer space. Her left hand stake took one of the vamps behind her the same way, and then there were ten again.

"Talk's cheap," Faith observed, smirking. "Whiskey costs money."

None of the rest of the vamps seemed to be in a major hurry to move in, freezing at that sudden destruction of two of their number. Faith shook her head, drawing another pair of stakes.

"You guys wanna dance?" A feral smile crossed Faith's lips as she moved, drifting forward even as she spoke, "Let's rock."

There came a blur of movement that broke the momentary stillness and the circle of vamps closed in...

***********************************


	11. Chapter 10: Interlude with a Vampire

**Chapter 10: Interlude with a Vampire -**

_**Monday August 31, 1998; Sunnydale, alley behind Simmon's Meat Market, late night.**_

There was a stake in each hand and she was dancing, one hundred and twenty percent fully alive, with nerve endings out past the end of her skin. A pair of vamps dusted and she kicked through the dust cloud, breaking another's thigh bone with the edge of a Harley boot heel, already moving on as the cripple fell to the ground clutching his leg and screaming. Ducking under a wild swing, Faith buried a stake in the vamp's heart through her back as she went past.

A foot caught her in the ribcage under the arm, cracking ribs, and she trapped the leg, breaking the knee in exchange. Using her grip on the leg for leverage, Faith back-kicked another vamp under the chin, sending her flying to sprawl on her back on the alley floor. Releasing the leg, she slammed her stake through the now crippled vamp's chest, leaving it dust as she moved on to the next.

Too many of them in to little space, and they were getting in each other's way. That was one of the things that saved her. _They_ had to make certain that what they grabbed or struck was _Slayer_, and enemy.

Anything that came within _Faith's_ reach was enemy and fair game. Targets.

Keep moving. That's the ticket here: constant, targeted movement. Slow down, or pause too long on any one opponent, and you're dead. She took blows that would have left a normal human broken and comatose, trading impact for openings to kick, punch, or stake.

They wanted her alive, apparently, and that was the other thing. It limited what kind of attacks they could make, and how much damage they could do. _She_ had no such limitations.

A vamp barreled in, arms reaching to grapple her around the midsection, and a knee turned its jaw to bone splinters and its rush into an unexpected back flip to the concrete. An elbow did the same to another, sending it staggering back and away, and she left a stake in its heart before turning an arm around her throat into a forward throw that sent the vamp through the dust cloud to slam against the alley wall.

The vamp she'd back-kicked away threw a high kick at her head that Faith went in under, kicking out the supporting leg and burying her stake in the vamps chest as she went down, dusting her. And then there were four, but she lost the stake doing it as it wedged between the falling vampiress' ribs.

Crippled vamp with the shattered thigh wrapped arms around one of her legs from the ground, and buried its fangs in her calf. Snarling and screaming, she yanked at the trapped leg, reaching for another stake, but a blow to the jaw sent black star-bursts dancing across her vision for precious moments. The broken jawed vamp managed to snag one of her arms in a viselike grip as she was reeling, holding it fast as another caught her with a forearm across the throat and another arm under hers in a half nelson. It bent her backwards with a knee in the small of her back as the remaining vamp closed in from the front...

Only to stop with a startled expression as a length of broken wood stood out six inches from its chest before it dissolved into dust particles.

The grip on her leg went away abruptly, sending Faith and the pair of vamps holding her stumbling backwards. She threw the broken jawed vamp off of her arm by main strength as her vision started to clear. A guttural snarl, barely human rippled out of her throat as she brought her uninjured leg up, then down, hard - her reinforced heel shattering the kneecap of the vamp still holding her. The arm loosened and she threw her head back into the bridge of his nose, yanking one of her remaining stakes from a cargo pocket and bringing it up into his heart from below the ribcage as she turned within his arm.

Faith spun back, still snarling, to find the vamp she'd thrown off already dust and a medium height figure standing over the dust pile with a broken mop handle in her hands and a bemused expression.

"Shelia," Faith limped over to the closest wall and braced herself on it with one arm, breathing heavily. She managed a smirk. "Don't tell me, let me guess - this is where I'm supposed to thank you for coming to the rescue?" It came out in harsh pants as Faith drew in shuddering gasps of breath.

"I'm not expecting it," Shelia shrugged, tossing the broken handle into a pile of trash. Coming out of game face, she crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against another wall and projecting an air of bored amusement.

"Good call," Faith said. She lifted her leg, glancing down warily to check out the damage. She swore, loudly. "Fuck! Pants are old, but those are new damned boots."

Putting the foot back down and gingerly putting weight on it, Faith found that it would hold her up, even if she would limp for awhile. She used the minutes spent testing her injury to study the other girl.

The punk vampiress had traded her look from the other night for a pair of black cut-off shorts with garters, fishnets, over the knee black kickers, and a black leather motorcycle jacket covered in zippers over a black bustier. The black-black hair was neon blue now, and her face was done up like Brandon Lee's from The Crow.

"Kinda retro these days, but I like the look," Faith stated. She nodded carefully, "Not that I'm not grateful and all for the assist," she said, "But... what the fuck are you doing here?"

"Following you ever since the Bronze," Shelia said, shrugging. "Along with two other night-lifers that aren't around any more." Smirking, she added, "Might want to watch your back better."

Faith nodded. "It's being considered," she said, dryly.

"Can you walk?" Shelia asked. "Might want to be moving before Dacascos sends someone to see why they're not bringing him his pressie."

"I'll manage," Faith said. "First up though," she glanced pointedly around the little courtyard at the various dust piles, "Why?"

Shelia's eyebrows lifted. "Protecting my investment."

"Ah," Faith smirked again. "That enlightened self interest thing?" She stood away from the wall, gingerly putting weight on her injured leg and watching the other girl's hands carefully as Shelia did the same.

Smirking, Shelia held both hands carefully way from her body, open, fingers spread, so that Faith could see they were empty. "Nothing up my sleeves, either."

Faith acknowledged the gesture with a nod. "Gotta tell you: that taser trick won't work twice," she said.

"Won't try that one again," Shelia said, shrugging, "Comes down to it, I'll do something else." She gave Faith a careful look, "Will it come down to it?"

Faith made an 'after you gesture', taking a halting step toward the alley mouth. "Haven't decided yet."

Shelia went into the alley leading out ahead of her without a backward glance, or any sign of nervousness. "Let me know when you do," she called back.

"You'll be the second," Faith shook her head, following her out.

They covered about three blocks in silence, Faith's limp getting less pronounced as the vampire bite began healing even as she walked. Shelia kept a careful distance from her, walking to one side well out of arm's reach for both of them - whether for Faith's peace of mind or her own, Faith couldn't tell.

Finally, Faith stopped, leaning up against a telephone pole and studying the blue haired vampiress. "I'm not getting it."

Shelia raised an eyebrow, leaning casually against a street lamp a short distance away.

"You could have come in on the other side, had yourself a nice snack," Faith observed. "I've heard Slayer blood's a taste treat for the nightbreed crowd."

"Also gets you noticed by other vamps," Shelia remarked. "And probably by the next slayer, once word gets around." She paused, then added, "Flying under the radar seems like a smarter idea to me."

Faith nodded carefully. "But not a 'soul' thing," she said.

Shelia snorted, "Again, how can you tell? And who cares?" She smirked, "I'm sure Gacy and Dahmer had souls."

"Probably," Faith said, nodding again. She raised her eyebrows, waiting and studying the vamp.

"I didn't care much for people when I was alive," Shelia said, finally. "I found I like other vamps even less. I don't seem to care any more for killing than I did when I was alive. Makes me different, somehow." She shrugged, "You figure it out, you tell me."

"Cheerleader says you were involved with Spike at that big Parent-Teacher thing," Faith said. Her expression was blank, giving nothing away. "That was a killing thing, so I've heard."

"Chalk it up to being brand new, stupid, and flushed with the big 'power and sudden immortality' thing," Shelia said. "Took me about half way through that to figure out Spike was as fucking nuts as that crazy Drusilla chick. Took me _one_ encounter with Buffy Summers during that to realize that there's a LOT more dangerous things out there than vampires."

"The B made an impression, huh?" Faith smirked.

"Slightly. One moment I was about to hack her apart like a pinata, next she whipped the axe out of my hand, batted me against the wall, and dusted one of Spike's gang before I could blink. Total shock – I _knew_ how fast and strong I was, but she was faster and stronger." Shelia laughed, then sobered, "Was the look in the eyes though. Calm, measured, and absolutely impersonal. And completely prepared to kill me with no feeling at all."

Faith nodded.

"High sense of self-preservation: I ran like hell." Shelia snickered, "After I bolted outta there, it took me to the end of the next night to figure out that other vamps are idiots and probably deserve to get staked."

"So... " Faith cocked her head, trailing off as she absorbed that and studied the other girl's body language and tells. "You're telling me you don't kill to eat."

"Falls into the 'idiots and deserve to get staked' thing, as far as I'm concerned," Shelia said, still smirking. "Why leave a trail of bodies around in a town that's got one, sometimes two Slayers? Willy sells blood, Squisher's, and so does the butchers. They even have a drive-up window. There's an intern at the Sunnydale hospital that sells older blood directly to some of the nightlife," she said, "And if you want it straight from the pipe, it's easy enough to head up to Santa Barbara and hunt pimps, muggers, and wanna be date-rapists and leave them a pint lower with a nasty scare - and still alive. They won't tell the cops, and they don't leave corpses with weird holes in the necks after."

Smirking, Faith nodded. "Smart," she remarked. "Why not move? There's other towns with _no_ slayers."

"Takes money to establish yourself. New ID and clean paper costs. So do clothes, and rent if you don't want to camp out in abandoned buildings for the next century," Shelia made a face. "No thanks. Had enough of that growing up."

"Ok, riddle me this: why are you interested in helping me take Dacascos down?" Faith asked, still studying her.

"Wanna be master vamps sooner or later want all the other vamps around to kiss their asses. I wanna party, dance, amuse myself, and do my own thing - not be someone's minion."

Faith snorted. "But you stayed low around Buffy. Would you have popped up to aim her at Dacascos?"

"Well, her not being here makes it a moot point, eh?" Shelia grinned. "Naw. That girl ain't right. Something _way_ off about anyone that bumps uglies with one of us _knowing_ what we are." She cocked her head, studying Faith back. "You, you're street, like me. I can spot all the tells a mile off. And Buffy may be a predator, like us... but I don't think she could've handled those Rep'larian mobster demons and their Kaliff thugs the way you and your little gang did. Too... white bread Barbie."

"Hah." Faith snickered. "Ok. Seem to have all the right answers. You following me to keep me outta trouble? And planning to escort me home?"

"Ah. Naw," Shelia shook her head. "Was looking for you."

Faith raised her eyebrows curiously and the vampiress went on after a moment. "Dacascos still has at least one above ground distribution place, or a new one maybe," Shelia said. "Real paranoid: they're even dusting other vamps they don't know that come snooping around." She grinned again, "Thought you might wanna know about it, and then I picked up on your shadows and decided that might be entertaining."

"And if they'd set me up and taken me down before you dealt with the shadows and moved in?"

"I'd have felt just awful bad," Shelia said, still grinning.

"I'll bet you would, too," Faith grinned back, shaking her head. "Where?"

Shelia sighed, "I'll have to show you. It's easier," she said.

"Tonight?"

Shelia gave her a critical look over, then shook her head, "Not on that leg. Might have to run like hell if they spot us - like I said: _real_ paranoid."

**...**

Xander Harris was wandering not quite aimlessly after walking off from Willow at the diner. He'd spent a good half hour watching from a shop doorway across the street and down a bit until Oz's van had showed up to pick Willow up, prepared to follow and watch over her if she took off for home on foot instead.

Afterwards, he _really_ hadn't wanted to head home just yet, and he hadn't had any place else in particular to go. The Bronze hadn't sounded attractive as an idea, nor had any of the late night arcades or other hangouts. Instead, he settled for walking the business district and surrounding areas, headed sort of generally in the direction of his parent's house, but in no hurry to get there.

This being Sunnydale, and night, his hands were never too far from a stake or the grips of one of the holy-water paintball pistols tucked under his belt. He kept a careful and wary eye on his surroundings and the shadows about him. Alleyways got a wide berth.

All of that was reflex, and none of it occupied enough of his attention to keep his mind from worrying at the discussion with Willow. Argument rather than discussion, if he wanted to be honest, fight if he wanted to be even more honest.

On the one hand, he was having a hard time faulting his best friend's skepticism of Cordelia. Over the years since kindergarten, Willow had caught the worst of Cordelia's sharp tongue and vicious commentary. She'd never had Xander's ability to trade tit-for-tat on a more or less equal basis, or Jesse's tendency to let it slide off of him because he'd had the major hot-for-Cordelia crushing thing going.

On the other hand, too, she really hadn't had as much chance as Xander had had, especially over this past summer, to see the girl behind the "Queen C" personae and get to like her. A part of that, Xander had to admit, was that Cordelia just flat didn't like Willow and didn't care if the other girl ever liked her back. He was impressed that Cordy was willing to bend as far as she did do in order to get along with Willow more or less amicably.

On the gripping hand (and Xander was grateful to Larry Niven for adding a third hand), he was more than just a _bit_ annoyed that his supposed best friend seemed to have so little respect for Xander's own judgment. Sure, Xander had made some fairly spectacular errors in judgment over the years... but you'd think eleven plus years of friendship would count for something. And what was supporting Buffy's Angel fetish if not an error in judgment? One Xander'd never made: he'd been _convinced_ that at the end of the day, Angel was pretty much a vampire, and events had proven his opinions _right_. He still wasn't sure about Oz, but he'd opted to overlook his own reservations because of his friend's happiness, and that had to count for something...

On the fourth hand... on the fourth hand, Xander decided he was running out of things to put in hands.

When it came down to it, there wasn't a _real_ reason for Willow to change her mind about Cordelia. Cordelia was still pretty much the same girl they'd grown up with. What Willow _wasn't_ seeing, and Xander had started to realize that he had seen almost ever since they started high school together, was that there was a lot more to that girl than showed on the surface. The surface was pretty damned nice, too, in a lot of ways. Xander pulled himself back from the land of Cordelia-surface fantasies with a mental wrench, _especially_ ones involving Fredericks of Hollywood and Victoria's Secret wrappings, and back to the Willow issue.

Following the intense basement kiss during the bug assassin thing, around Valentine's Day and after, Xander had started realizing that he liked the whole Cordelia package, snark and all, a lot. Something that completely astonished him was discovering that Cordelia seemed to like him a lot, too - starting with her "You're a sheep. I'm not, and I'll date who the hell I want" speech to Harmony and the Cordettes all the way up to her actions during the business with the mobster demons.

Too bad his best friend couldn't seem to cut him the same slack he was willing to cut her and Oz. At least the _worst_ a careless snap from Cordelia was likely to do was turn Xander into a GQ model...

His Sunnydale awareness pulled Xander out of his thoughts and back to reality with a snap as he noticed the pair of female figures leaning against lampposts and telephone pole a block or so ahead of him. The only thing that kept him from casually veering down a side street and vanishing was the thought that one of the figures was more than just vaguely familiar, even from this distance. Even so, he double checked the location of his stake, cross, and other weapons as he continued towards them.

The more familiar looking one turned her head towards him as he came up, her dimples showing in a broad, lopsided grin. The other one looked also, but he didn't recognize her.

"Hey, Harris," Faith nodded to him, not straightening from her leaning stance on the telephone pole.

"Faith," Xander returned the grin, indicating the goth looking girl with a jerk of his head. "Who's your friend?"

"Maybe if I'd brought my pruning shears?"

"Shelia?" Xander took in Faith's disheveled appearance and the blood crusting her boot and staining one pants leg dark even as he was jerking the stake out of his belt and reaching for the holy water pistol.

"Whoa, ease up, Xan," Faith unfolded from the pole, holding a hand out in a 'wait' gesture. "Stand easy, guy - she's not a baddie at the moment." Shelia never moved, just smirked at him from under all that face paint.

Xander paused, but he gave Faith a skeptical look, his eyes going to the bloodstained pants leg. Faith's eyes flickered in the same direction as his and she shrugged.

"Not as bad as it looks," Faith said, shrugging. "She's the reason I'm not vamp chow right now."

"Right." Xander said. He noticed that Faith never once moved in such a way as to let Shelia out of her line of sight, even while reassuring him that the goth vamp hadn't been the one to do the damage to her. He converted the aborted reach for the holy-water pistol to one into his front pocket for his spare cross, even though he couldn't see any neck wounds on Faith. He pitched the cross to her with an easy underhand toss.

Faith snagged it out of the air with a casual snap of her wrist, smirking. She made a fist around it, then opened her hand so he could see her unburnt palm. Xander nodded carefully, still not relaxing.

"Meet up at the Bronze tomorrow night," Faith said to Shelia. "Show me."

Shelia nodded, unfolding herself easily from the lamp post. Her eyes flicked to Xander, "Nice seeing you again, Harris. Only not, you know?"

"Hey," Faith cut across Xander's beginning comment, giving the female vamp a cold look. "We're not friends. We're not really even allies, y'know?"

"And you'll stake me as soon as you have an excuse, or maybe even if you just feel like it, yatta yatta," Shelia said, waving it off. She turned away and strolled casually away down the street, hands in her pockets, while Faith and Xander watched her go.

"We're letting more vamps live now?" Xander said, giving Faith a look and not bothering to hide his disappointed tone or expression.

"As long as she proves useful," Faith said. She met the look and the expression evenly, not flinching. "Not planning to knock boots with her, Xan."

Xander flushed, not bothering to deny that there'd been an Angel comparison at the back of his mind. He looked at her leg again, and at her general condition. "What happened?"

"Dacascos sent a dozen of his vamps to jump me. He's beginning to annoy me," Faith said. She glanced in the direction Shelia had taken, frowning slightly, "Goth girl there showed up in time to dust three of them just about the time they were going to put me down for the count."

"You took out nine vamps in a brawl?" Both of Xander's eyebrows went up.

Faith shrugged, grinning. "And six others, earlier in the night." She shook her leg, glancing down at it, "Got kinda close at the end there, though," she admitted.

"Setting you up in order to get the trust going?" Xander asked.

"Been considered," Faith glanced down the street after the vampire. "If so, it's not working."

"Good," Xander said, finally giving her his lopsided grin. "'Cause at the end of the day... "

"A vamp's still pretty much a vamp," Faith finished for him. She handed him his spare cross back, hooking her arm through his after he put it away. "C'mon, Tiger - let's motor before we get any more attention we don't want. I'll walk you home."

"Limp me home, you mean," Xander smirked down at her.

"Girl needs a big, strong man to lean on," Faith said. She winked, "Know where I can find one?"


	12. Chapter 11: Unnatural Acts

**Chapter 11: Unnatural Acts -**

_**Tuesday September 1, 1998; Sunnydale High School Library, late late morning.**_

"Good morning Faith," Giles said as the young Slayer wandered downstairs from the stacks. He closed the book he'd been studying, marking his place. "You're in a bit earlier than I'd expected."

"Hey, Giles." Faith nodded, yawning as she set her bag down and plopped into a chair. Opening her coffee container, she look a long drink. "Thought I'd get an earlier start, since I was a no show yesterday."

"Ah. I see," Giles said, giving her a slight smile.

Faith sprawled back, putting one foot up at the edge of the table. Giles opened his mouth to reprimand her, then closed it when he saw that she was rubbing her shin through her pants leg.

"Injury?" Giles asked, instead.

"Yeah, no big. Got bit during a fight on patrol last night," Faith said. "Still sore," she admitted.

"I'll fetch the first aid kit," Giles said, rising from the table.

"S'all right," Faith shook her head. "Harris snuck me into his folk's basement and made me sit while he got his and fixed it up last night."

"Never the less," Giles stated, "If it's been dressed and it's still sore after a night of Slayer healing, it needs to be looked at." He headed toward the counter and his office, "I'll be right back."

"Not going anywhere," Faith said, grumbling.

He returned after a few moments with the kit, setting it down on the table and pulling out a chair next to her. "Pull your pants leg up, please," he requested.

"Did more damage to my new boots than to my leg," Faith muttered. Giles repressed a smile as she leaned forward to unzip the calf of her leather pants along the side, pulling the material back and away from her shin.

"This may sting a bit," he said, pulling away the tape and dressing with a sharp, quick, yank. Faith just blinked at him, and he busied himself with cleaning and disinfecting the bite mark, and putting antiseptic salve on it.

"Had worse," was all Faith said.

"Rather nasty bite. However, it looks as though young Harris did an admirable job of cleaning and patching it," Giles remarked. He moved his chair so he could get at the other side, indicating for her to hold the material up and away while he worked. "What happened?"

"Fight. Broke a vamp's leg to put him down while I dealt with his buddies," Faith said, smirking. "He decided to return the favor by trying to bite mine off."

"I see," Giles nodded. He began taping new gauze patches over the wound, "It does look to be healing well. It's an extremely deep bite and tear, else your Slayer healing would probably have already dealt with it."

"Yeah," Faith nodded. "Bruises are already gone." She grinned, "Cost me an hour of sleep cleaning and salvaging the boots, the bastard."

"A most heinous crime," Giles said, agreeably. "Would you care to elaborate upon the fight a bit more?"

"You got the gist, really," Faith stated. "Wait and do the full replay when everyone else gets in? That way I won't have to do it twice."

Giles pursed his lips slightly. Standing, he began putting away the tools, remaining gauze, and antiseptics. "That would tend to make sense, yes."

"Had something else to go over, anyway," Faith admitted. "Said I'd let you know if I had a Slayer dream?"

"I do recall that, yes." Giles took a half seat on the edge of the table, looking curiously at Faith over the tops of his glasses. "I take it you've had one?"

"Quite," Faith said, mimicking Giles' diction. "Pretty strange, even for a Slayer dream, an' that's saying a lot." Frowning slightly, she began relating the dream, with Giles' interrupting on occasion to ask questions or clarification or to have her backtrack and repeat something in greater detail.

When she'd finished, Giles was silent for some time. He removed his glasses and began polishing them absently, sighing heavily. "Very strange, as you say." He gave her a penetrating look, "And you're quite certain that you were there predominately as an observer of the other person's dream, rather than the recipient?" From the slight pause, he seemed to deliberately choose the use of 'other person' as opposed to 'Buffy'.

"Well, yeah, pretty sure," Faith nodded. "More like a bit player than the star, y'know?"

"Hrrmm." Giles frowned, thoughtfully. "Extraordinary." He raised his eyebrows slightly, giving her an approving look, "You seem to have excellent dream recall, including details."

"Yeah. Diana was big on dream recall, and all that lucid dreaming crap," Faith stated. "She made me learn as much of it as I'd sit still for."

"I must say that I find it difficult to fault her training in that area," Giles said. "You seem quite skilled."

The corners of Faith's lips flickered up, and her dimples showed briefly. She nodded, then frowned slightly, "Might be a sore subject, but... " she glanced up at Giles, "How do you guys know she didn't get sucked into this Acathla thing along with Angelus?"

Giles winced slightly. "She, ah," he coughed slightly, "She stopped at her mother's home after the portal would have been closed, leaving a note saying that she was leaving Sunnydale."

"Ah." Faith nodded carefully. "Well, guess that lets you know for sure you're not chasing wild geese," she said. "What was the deal with that mud chick?"

"Mud... " Giles looked puzzled for a moment, then his face cleared with understanding. "That I'm not certain of. It will take some research to decipher the various bits of symbolism, I fear."

Nodding, Faith accepted that. There were several other questions she wanted to ask Giles, but she figured she'd wait on those. Instead, she glanced up, quirking a smile at him, "Willow said that you guys found a place for training?"

Giles frowned at her, replacing his glasses, "Drat. I had rather hoped to surprise you with that," he groused, but the slight smile and twinkle in his eyes showed he was more amused than disappointed.

"Kinda hard to do, since I knew you two were looking," Faith smirked.

"Indeed." Giles smiled, then added, "It will take some fixing up, as Xander pointed out, but it should suffice for our needs." He glanced around the library area with a bemused expression, "I find myself rather surprised that in some ways I'll miss using this place as our headquarters."

"Still be working with the others here during school hours," Faith said, shrugging. "And for research parties."

**...**

"An' that's about it," Faith finished relating her night's misadventures to Giles and the rest of the group. "Dusted the last of them, had a short chat with that Shelia chick, and then bumped into Harris on his way home."

Willow frowned at that, carefully looking anywhere but at the end of the table where Xander was sitting sprawled out with his arm around Cordelia. Xander returned the favor, mostly watching Faith and ignoring Willow. Cordelia exchanged concerned glances with Oz when no one was looking. Faith glanced between them and Willow sitting next to Oz at the other end of the table, resisting an urge to sigh heavily, scream, or slap someone.

On the walk back to Casa Harris, Xander hadn't said much when Faith had asked him about his Willow night out, just shook his head, gave her a lopsided grin, and changed the subject. After an hour in the library with them, Faith didn't find it hard to figure out why, and that it probably centered around Willow, Xander, and Xander' relationship with Cordy - the red-head hadn't seemed frosty at all towards Faith. Faith was starting to get a bit tired of the every-few-days burst of Willow insecurities over Cordelia and Will's Xander crush. It made for a major strain in the little group every time it came up.

Problem was, Faith had about zero clue on what to do about it, if anything.

"Hmm." Giles was frowning and polishing his glasses again. He glanced up at Faith, "That's twice so far that you've had non-lethal contacts with this particular vampire so far."

"And she probably saved my ass on this one, maybe," Faith said. She exchanged troubled expressions with the librarian. "I _might_ have busted loose, since they wanted to capture and I was going flat out for the kills - but I might not of." Faith repressed a shudder. She'd been in that situation once, in Kakistos' lair, and she'd barely fought her way out alive. Her Watcher had died in there... badly.

"So, what did Punky Skankster have to say this time?" Cordelia asked.

"Lots," Faith said, "Mostly wanted to pass on that she'd located one of Dacascos' above ground crack houses." Frowning, Faith relayed the conversation between herself and the punk vampire, at least the Reader's Digest version of it.

"She's lying," Xander said, flatly.

"Don't think so," Faith stated, shaking her head. "I'm pretty good at reading people - it's kept me alive a long time." She grinned as she caught Xander's grimace and the automatic 'vamp not people' look that went across his face as clearly as if he'd said it. "That don't mean she's saying _all_ of the truth," Faith added.

"Lying by omission?" Giles suggested.

Frowning, Faith thought about that for a bit. "More like... she knows more about what's going on around town than she's saying," Faith said, slowly, "And she's seeing what I do with what she _is_ saying." Shrugging, she added, "Just a feeling I have. More under the surface there than it looks."

"Like a test of some kind?" Willow said, frowning. "That's... "

"Huh. Yeah, kinda like, maybe." Faith nodded, giving Willow a tight smile. "It fits."

"Not sure I like that," Cordelia stated. "Strikes me as a bad idea to let vamps get away with testing us."

"Gotta agree with the Queen here," Xander said, drawing a frown from Willow. "Pass/Fail can get kinda rough around these parts."

"But, it- it might be a _good_ thing if she really _is_ being helpful," Willow put in.

"Gotta say, it might be good to have an extra line into the underworld around here 'sides Willy. _If_ she checks out," Faith remarked, not weighting it either way, just throwing it out there. She looked to Giles for his opinion, ignoring the Harris/Willow/Cordelia byplay.

"Yes," Giles removed his glasses again for inspection. "We've had rather unfortunate experiences with vampire allies," he said. "It does give some of us pause at the thought of testing those waters again."

Cordelia snorted. "'Unfortunate', that's one word for it."

"Angel was pretty helpful before he went all grr on us," Willow asserted. Her face set stubbornly at Xander's derisive snort.

"Get the feeling you'd rather not fight Shelia," Oz said, watching Faith carefully.

Faith shot the little guitarist a half rueful, and half grateful look. "Gotta say, the idea doesn't thrill me."

Oz raised his eyebrows, just giving her an inquiring look. Faith elaborated slightly, "She can say all she wants about running like hell from Buffy and giving Drusilla and Spike a wide berth. Vamp Girl ain't a coward," she stated, "She's fast, she's smart, and she's dangerous. Rather tackle that bunch of Dacascos' minions again than tangle with her for keepsies."

Giles raised his eyebrows at that, and gave her the curious look this time. Cordelia tilted her head slightly, asking, "Interesting. Can I ask why?"

Faith grinned, "She goes from zero to balls out, like me. We mix it up and only one of us is walking away." Faith paused thoughtfully, "I'd like it a lot better if I was sure it'd be me."

Cordelia studied her for a few moments, her face impassive, then nodded once.

"I see," Giles said, nodding. "What are your plans, if I may ask?"

"Huh." Faith frowned slightly, then shrugged. "Meet her at the Bronze tonight, then go have a look see at this place." She gave him a steady look, "If it looks doable, then after Hacker Girl here," she indicated Willow, grinning, "Gets us the layout, we hit it hard and take one more topside place from Dacascos."

"If it's a trap?" Oz asked.

Faith shifted in her seat and was suddenly examining the eighteen inch blade of her dagger carefully. "Shelia's going in ahead of me. It is, we bust our way clear. She won't be coming with."

"Let's table further discussion and planning until we see if your reconnaissance bears fruit," Giles said. He glanced at the library clock, "As there seems to yet be a number of ours before evening, why don't we adjourn to our new location and start examining what's required to put it in workable condition?"

"Works," Faith said, grinning. Xander gave a nod, his half grin coming out.

Cordelia glanced at her watch, sighing, "Can't. The parents want me to join them for a late brunch and some quality time." She looked over at Faith, "I can drop you and Dweebo here off on the way out, though."

"We can swing by and pick up cleaning supplies," Oz volunteered, giving Willow's hand a squeeze.

"And we can get pizzas and cokes on the way," Xander said. "If we hurry?" He glanced at Cordelia for agreement and she grinned, nodding.

"Excellent," Giles said, adjusting his glasses. "I shall, err, bring myself then, and meet you all there."

**...**

_**Tuesday September 1, 1998; Sunnydale, The Bronze, night.**_

"You _sure_ you don't want backup?" Xander asked, scowling. His expression and every inch of his body language said clearly that he thought this whole idea sucked. Cordelia's expression didn't agree quite as plainly, but it was there in her body language as well.

Faith considered for several minutes. She'd gotten used to trusting Harris' tactical instincts over the past month or so, especially when her own were agreeing with him.

Finally, "No." Faith shook her head, regretfully, "If these guys are as paranoid as she said, then I'm going to bug out, _fast_, if they spot us. I can run a lot faster than you two."

"Weapons?" Cordelia asked.

Faith nudged the gear bag by her foot with a toe, "Shortsword from Oz's weapon chest. Taking the Barnett crossbow with the stock taken down to just the pistol grip, and one of the arrow rifles. Holy water pistol. And my usual," she said. "Comes to a running fight, got plenty of firepower."

"Hrmmm." Cordelia tilted her head, looking at her steadily. "You get killed and I'm never speaking to you again."

"Yes, mom," Faith said, snickering. She looked to Xander, "No more objections or threats?"

"Would it do any good?" Xander spread his hands, grinning lopsidely at her. "Don't get dead - your replacement might not be as hot."

"Aww."

"Hmmm." Cordelia tapped her chin thoughtfully with a fingernail, her eyes distant. "We should hit the Scooby fund for some of those prepaid cellphones for everyone, for things like this."

"Good plan. Bad timing." Faith said. She quirked a half grin at her two friends, looking around the club for probably the thirtieth time since they'd arrived. This time, she spotted a girl in cargo pants at the rail on the upper level that strongly resembled the punkish vampire. Giving Xander and Cordelia a nod, she stood up, slinging the bag by its carrying strap. "Looks like I'm on. Laters."

Drifting up the stairs, she recognized the vamp halfway up despite the brown hair and complete lack of piercings and face paint. She settled in against the rail near the other girl, saying, "That's new and different."

"One way you stay under the radar is to never let them get a fix on your look," Shelia said, nodding. "Ready?"

"Born ready," Faith said, smirk firmly in place.

"Good." Shelia led the way through the sparse crowd towards the upstairs exit door, pushing it open without the alarm going off. Faith followed her down the fire escape stairs, making note of the lack of alarm for future reference. Downstairs in the alley, Shelia paused, saying, "It's across the edge of town from here, in the airport district."

"Long walk, but not for us," Faith said. She gave the vampiress a long look, "Should go without saying, but... "

"Not setting you up, no," Shelia stated, grinning.

"Good," Faith said, seriously. "'Cause the other part goes without saying also."

"Look," Shelia stopped near the end of the alley, holding her hands out. "I'd wanted you and your buddies dead, I wouldn't _have_ to get complicated about it. Probably rankles, but you're just going to have to... " she trailed off, then shook her head. "Naw, scratch that. That's just plain stupid."

Faith cocked her head, not saying anything.

Shelia scowled, folding her arms. "Ok, You don't _have_ to trust me," she said. "_I_ don't trust _you_. It works better that way - we both know where we stand."

"Right," Faith said, falling in along side of the vampire girl, a bit out of arm's reach for both of them. "It'd be an unnatural act."

"Damned straight," Shelia flashed a grin in her direction. "I got no reason to want you dead. I got plenty of reason to want Dacascos dead."

"Like?" Faith's voice was casual, and honestly curious.

Shelia shrugged, "Sooner or later, wanna be 'Masters' decide they want to bring all of the local vamps in under their thumb." She smirked, "That'd cramp my deathstyle."

"Could just avoid him," Faith suggested.

"He lasts long enough, and that gets harder than it looks," came the reply. Shelia paused, frowning thoughtfully, "This one's smart, even if he's not real powerful. He's got a commodity vamps want, and money and things to pay informants with."

"'K, what the hell is this commodity, anyway?" Faith said, almost growling. "I know - it's a drug. But what's it do that makes it special?"

They walked for a number of blocks in silence after that, Shelia frowning, apparently deep in thought. Their route wasn't straightforward, it took them from cover to cover, with frequent doubling backs while both of them watched with all senses for anyone paying attention to or following them.

Finally, "Not sure. I wasn't a huge drug buff even when I was alive, and now it's just booze," Shelia said. "From what I hear... it's a rush like Slayer blood is supposed to be: hops you up and supercharges you. Or at least feels like it, supposedly."

"Kinda like a speed rush?" Faith frowned.

"Something like." Shelia said, shrugging. "Drawback though - it makes you nuts after awhile, and sooner or later it sends you into a frenzy, like a berserker. Stronger and faster, but lots stupider."

"Bad news," Faith agreed. She didn't bother mentioning that they'd run into a few of those types already.

"Get a bunch of hopped up idiots going on a killing spree, and it'll be bad news all around."

Nodding again, Faith kept her own opinions to herself. Eventually they came to a dilapidated looking two story building in an extremely run down old commercial section of town. After circling and checking the area carefully, Shelia suggested a vantage point where they could settle in and watch both ends of the building from a relatively safe distance.

Giving it a bit of thought and taking her time to examining the other options, Faith reluctantly agreed with her. It was the best possible vantage point. No – _third _best: the best ones would be obvious to anyone inside if they were half as paranoid as advertised, and they'd be watching those. After making careful note of the address and landmarks, Faith broke out her weapons and they settled in to wait and watch comings and goings around the place.

Eight hours later, Faith glanced over at where her companion was squatting motionless several yards away, and eased silently closer to her. "I've seen enough," she whispered. Shelia nodded silently, and they eased back and away from the place, staying to cover until they were several blocks away.

"All right," Faith said, her brow furrowing in thought. "Lots of traffic, but it may be doable. Any idea how many inside?"

"Not really." Shelia shook her head. "Guy running the place and a half dozen or more for muscle, plus the outside watchers."

"Sewer?" Faith snickered as Shelia gave her a 'what do you think?' look. "Right," Faith said, "Dumb question."

"Yeah, but not really," Shelia said, snickering back at her. "Sewer entrance, but nothing that's not supposed to be there gets close enough from the underground end to check it out carefully, not even vamps. Guarded and watched."

"How heavily guarded?" Faith asked. Shelia gave her a sharp, speculative look.

"I saw four," Shelia stated. "Maybe six - there's a couple of places where someone could hide and keep an eye out."

Faith considered carefully, finally she looked over at the vamp girl. "All right. Meet up here just after ten - call it about thirty minutes after," Faith indicated the small business park they'd paused near. "We show up, it means we're going to hit it. We don't... give it a bit and take off because it means I decided it was a bad risk."

"And I'm going to be here because... ?" Shelia's expression was unreadable.

Faith gave her a flat, level stare. "Not getting staked in my town's not a right, it's a privilege you earn." She smirked, "You're going in just ahead of me and helping clear the place out."

"Or?" The goth vamp's expression was still unreadable.

"Let's not discuss 'or'. We've had such a friendly, trusting relationship up 'til now."


	13. Chapter 12: Calculated Risks

**Chapter 12: Calculated Risks -**

_**Tuesday September 1, 1998; Sunnydale High School Library, late late morning.**_

"Huh," Faith moved over behind Willow's chair, leaning over her with a hand on the seat back. "Can you pull up that tunnel map again, Red?"

"Sure," Willow clicked several keys, minimizing some windows and pulling up another.

"Cool," Faith threw the red head a grin, leaning in to study the tunnels around the target building. One tunnel branch leading to the sewer access in the building's basement, it looked like, and the vantage points Shelia had mentioned were fairly obvious - there were only a couple of places they could be and still be visible to someone stalking that area. The building's tunnel branch was a dead end, ending at that block, unless it had changed since the Sunnydale sewers map was last updated...

Straightening up, Faith crossed her arms, thinking furiously.

"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" Xander asked her with a slight worried expression.

"Oh no," Cordelia put in. "Tell me we are _not_ going in through the sewers." Her expression was horrified at the concept.

Faith turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow, "Ok. _We_ are not going in through the sewers." She smirked, "Happy now?"

"_Only_ if you're telling the truth," Cordelia shot back.

"Ahem." Giles frowned slightly, "I'm detecting a slight difference in emphasis between the two statements, am I not?" He gave Faith a pointed look.

"Rats, you got me," Faith said, spreading her hands.

"Shall I take it that you've formulated a plan, then?" Giles asked. That drew several other curious looks aimed at Faith as well.

"Ah... forming one, maybe." Faith said, grudgingly. "Can probably use the rest of you guys bashing the rough edges off of it." She looked around, "We need the maps of that area... Will?" She glanced over to the witch, "Can you print off those tunnel maps? And the floor plans?"

"Sure," Willow said."Give me a few minutes." While she busied herself with that, Xander and Oz brought the maps for the airport district of Sunnydale over to the main library table and started rolling them out.

"Let's wait for Red," Faith suggested as she leaned over to study the map. Everyone else clustered around the table, leaning over with frowns of concentration to examine the area around the building.

After a time, Willow joined them, carrying a small stack of printout in one hand. "Okie dokey. What are we looking at?"

"Variation of our vamp lair no-knock, I hope," Faith said, grinning. "I remember you getting your fun on doing that, Red." Willow grinned back, pushing a strand of hair back behind one ear.

"And the plan?' Giles prompted, "Do remember, please, that I wasn't in on the strategy sessions for your nest raids."

"Hokay," Faith took a deep breath. "You got off and on traffic all night, which means a kind of a varying number of vamps, right? But you have two vamps at the back here, one at the side doing a walk around, and one on the rooftop."

"Set pattern on the walk-around? Or random?" Xander asked.

"Uh... " Faith frowned, trying to remember exactly what she'd seen the previous night. "Random. I didn't get any sense that he was following any kinda schedule, just wandering around watching."

"Makes it harder," Xander stated. Oz nodded.

"'K, way I see it... " Faith pointed at the map, "Cordy's still the best shot with the arrow guns, any range." Cordelia grinned at the compliment. "You get the guy on the roof. But - those things are noisy, so you're going to have to wait until Rover-boy is dust."

"Right," Cordelia nodded.

"Xander's our best crossbowman, so... Rover-boy is yours." Faith glanced up, "Giles? Up for some field work?"

"Possibly. I vaguely recall how that's done, I suspect," Giles said with a slight smirk. Faith grinned back at him.

"Atta boy, G-Man. We'll arm up your walker and you can get the rear guard, old timer," Xander said. He shut up very fast at Giles' glare.

"Bloody berk," Giles said. Cordelia snickered, patting Xander condescendingly on the arm as he tried to hide behind her.

"You and Oz have the two back door vamps," Faith said, shaking her head. "And please don't kill the Xander until after the fight, G."

"Oh! What about me?" Willow said, pouting slightly.

"Backup for Oz and Giles, in case one of them misses," Faith suggested. "Inside, super-soaker and holy water gun, unless you got that stake spell down pat... ?"

"Oh. And no, not yet," Willow frowned. "Er... ok." She sighed, "I really need more crossbow practice."

"Getting in?" Oz asked, "What if the doors are locked?"

"No bars on the side windows," Faith said, smirking. "I looked. Just chuck something heavy through one and go in, then room to room as a group. Willow covers with holy water, switch to arrow air-rifles, dust and move on. Rest of you alternate between shooting and covering your partner with holy water, don't close unless you can help it."

"They didn't black out their windows?" Cordelia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Guess not," Faith said, shrugging.

"Explains why we're not doing it in daylight." Cordelia leaned over to study the floor plan with Xander and Oz.

"That, and we have a pattern already: they're expecting us to hit in daylight if we do, like the other lairs," Faith said. "See anything I missed?"

Xander frowned, then made a few suggestions that got incorporated into the inside plan. He looked up, "Uh, yeah. What'll you be doing?"

"Ah. I thought I noted an absence," Cordelia gave Faith a suspicious look. "C'mon, give."

Shifting uncomfortably, Faith said, "I'm going in through the tunnel entrance and up," she said, "With Shelia."

She'd expected that to get a reaction, and she wasn't disappointed. As expected, Xander was the first to voice an opinion. Scratching idly at the side of his face, he looked at her from under his eyebrows and said, "Why am I _not_ thinking 'that sounds like a good idea'?" Pause, "Oh - because it's not!"

"Hmm," was Giles only comment. He leaned against the table and gave Faith a speculative look.

As did Cordelia. She leaned back and tapped on her chin with an elegantly manicured nail, studying Faith. Finally, "I have _got_ to hear the reasoning behind this," she said.

Faith stuck her hands in her back pockets, looking at Willow and Oz with raised eyebrows. Willow just made a hands spread gesture indicating she had nothing to add. Faith nodded, looking at the others, "Like I said yesterday, if it's a trap, I want her in front of me where I can dust her when it goes off. Not sitting across town at Willy's snickering."

"Why the sewers?" Oz asked, quietly.

"Limited number of vamps and they won't be expecting it," Faith said, ticking off on her fingers. "And we want the main guy there: we come in all from the top, he's going to bolt."

"Sixty four thousand dollar question: why not dust Shelia, then hit?" Xander had one of his best sarcastic tones going, and Faith scowled, crossing her arms and staring at him. Cordelia put her hand on his arm, shaking her head slightly, and he gave her a surprised look.

"It's a good question Faith, but," Cordelia cocked her head slightly, "A better one is: what if there's more vamps than you expect? If it is an ambush?"

Faith cocked her head also, looking back at Cordy. "Not going in with stakes and knife like on patrol the other night. Molotovs here and here," she leaned over, pointing to indicate the two vantage point alcoves, and crossbow and arrow rifle." She shrugged, "Looks hinky, I dust Shelia and fade, radio you guys to pull out and split."

"Radios won't work from down there," Xander said, shaking his head. "Too much earth and concrete for the signal to pass."

Faith opened her mouth and closed it again. "Ah. I didn't know that," she admitted, scowling. "Crap. Will they work from inside the building?"

"Not from the basement," Xander said. "Cellphone might, though."

"Hmm." Cordelia was still studying Faith carefully. "We'd have to time it, then. Risky."

Oz gave her a raised eyebrow, "It's important for you to find out, right?"

Faith glanced over at him, surprised. "Yeah," she admitted. "Good faith demo. Or bad faith. If she proves level, it's maybe valuable to us. If not... I don't want to risk any of you finding out the hard way."

Unexpectedly, Cordelia cut across Xander's retort, quietly. "I don't think she's setting us up. Not on this, at least." Xander gave her another surprised look, then he scowled, looking away.

"Acceptable risks, Faith?" Giles voice startled everyone - he'd been silent through most of the discussion. Faith frowned, giving him a serious look.

"Only one way to find out, Giles," Faith said, quietly. A long moment of silent communication passed between them, and Giles nodded, finally.

"_If_ we can determine a means of coordinating," Giles said, "Then once we've refined the details, we should give Faith's idea a chance, I believe."

"I have a country club thing with my parents this afternoon," Cordelia said. "I can stop and pick up a prepaid cellphone or two on the way home afterwards."

"I still don't like it," Xander said.

"I don't either, Xan," Faith admitted. "But we're beating our heads on walls here with this vamp-crack shit. I'm willing to gamble if it gives us another line into the nightlife we can use."

"Would you gamble whether we agree or not?" Xander gave her a direct look.

Faith gave him a surprised look, "Hell no. Not on penny ante crap like this, anyway. Everyone thinks it sucks rocks, we just don't show, and Shelia figures we decided it was a bad risk and fades."

"Ah." Xander shrugged uncomfortably, then grinned at her and bent over the map, "Then let's figure out if it can work," he said. "But I _still_ don't like working with vamps."

"We've managed to gather that, Xander," Giles said, dryly. "I can't say I'm awfully fond of it myself, all things considered."

"Looking around the room here, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that that makes six of us," Faith said. "What's 'like' got to do with real life, anyway?"

**...**

_**Wednesday September 2, 1998; Sunnydale, old commercial district near airport, night.**_

Xander was still annoyed, and Faith had the feeling that after this was done, she and Giles were probably going to have a _long_ discussion, going by the look he'd given her. She checked the little radio, and made sure she had the cellphone Cordelia had picked up, still set to mute.

"Looks like the spot," Oz remarked. He pulled the van over to the curb, not shutting it off.

"Yeah," Faith glanced around at the others. "Ok, take us about five minutes to get to the sewer entrance I want to use from here. Give us ten. There's an office park on Coastal about four blocks from the vamp's building you can leave the van, Oz. I wouldn't drive any closer."

"We'll let you know when we get into position," Giles said.

"I'll wait - not going down until I hear from you," Faith agreed. "It looks hinky, break off and we'll split. Give me five minutes from that point and start moving in."

"Good luck," Willow told her.

"Break a leg," Cordelia said. Faith gave her a startled look, and Cordelia shrugged. "I saw it in a show business movie, ok? Wishing someone good luck's supposed to be a jinx."

"She'd hitting a sewer tunnel, Cordy, not trying out for Show Girls," Xander nudged his girlfriend. Cordelia stuck her tongue out at him.

"Right," Faith said. She touched Xander on the arm lightly, "We ok?"

"We'll talk about it after," Xander said. Faith nodded and snagged her crossbow and other weapons off the van floor, slipping out the door. Sliding the door shut behind her, she was glad Oz had started keeping it well greased.

As Oz pulled away from the curb, Faith moved into the little office park, searching with slayer sense as much as eyes and ears. She stopped part way in, looking around.

"Ok, know you're here, I can feel you," Faith remarked. Shelia detached herself from a patch of shadows at the side of the building with a smirk.

She'd traded the cargo pants for a black body suit, a pair of black cargo shorts, and black Doc Martens. There was a big knife on one hip, strapped to her leg, and the hair was black again with the Crow makeup back in place. Shelia picked up what looked like four feet plus of hoe handle, sharpened to a point, twirling it easily.

"Still born ready?"

"You got it," Faith said. She looked the other girl over, remarking, "Cheerleader likes a long stake, too."

"Over compensating?" Shelia asked. She shrugged, "Gonna poke something with a sharp stick, it's better if it's a long one."

"Kinda surprised you showed," Faith said as they headed off towards the sewer entrance she'd picked out.

"So am I," Shelia admitted. She squatted on her heels across from Faith as the Slayer settled in to wait for the go/no go call from the others. Shelia glanced down at the sewer grate, then back up at Faith. "Up through their sewer exit? You're nuts."

"Objections?" Faith lifted an eyebrow.

"Just an observation." She cocked her head slightly, looking thoughtful under all that greasepaint. "We deal with the sewer guards and come up from the basement, while your friends come in from the ground floor? Catch them between us?" Faith nodded, watching her. Shelia pursed her lips slightly, "What if the sewer exit is locked from their side?"

"It won't be," Faith stated.

"You sound sure."

"I am. Think it through," Faith said. "Exit's there so they can come and go as they need to, but mostly for a fast getaway. Not that fast if they have to stop and undo locks."

Shelia nodded. "Taking them awhile," she observed.

"No hurry." Faith said, settling in more comfortably to wait. After another five minutes or so, Xander's voice crackled tinnily in the little ear piece:

"Nighthawk to Slayer. We're ready - had to wait for a group of vamps to take off before we could finish moving up. Over."

Suppressing a snicker, Faith keyed the talk button and said, "Got it. We're moving. Gonna turn this off now."

"Faith? Be careful. Over." Xander's voice came over again just before she clicked the little radio off, tucking it away. Faith leaned over and pulled the sewer grate open and up, letting it over backwards gently so it didn't clang. She picked up her weapons, looking over at the vamp girl.

"After me, I guess," Shelia said. She stepped to the edge of the entrance hole and dropped through, landing almost silently somewhere below. Taking a deep breath, Faith gave it a few seconds, then dropped through after. She landed lightly in a crouch some twelve feet down, glancing around quickly for the vampire. Spotting the goth vamp leaning casually against a tunnel wall some eight feet up, she eased over to her.

"Whoever built all this crap makes sure they're maintained," Shelia said, softly. She motioned to the tunnel ahead, indicating the dim amber utility lights embedded in the ceiling. "Complete to lighting and making sure grate entrances are greased - it's like a super highway for vamps."

It wasn't much light, but more than enough for slayer eyes. They set off with Shelia in the lead, Faith trailing silently three yards behind. Where the tunnel split to the section that joined up with the branch leading to the vamp lair, Shelia paused, leaning out quickly and then drawing her head back and flattening against the tunnel wall. Faith did the same, and Shelia slid back along the wall towards her.

She leaned in, putting her mouth a few inches from Faith's ear, "Extra vamp," she said, almost inaudibly. "Just outside the entrance to where the vantage points I mentioned are. Let me have the crossbow."

Her skin crawling from the close contact with the vampire, Faith nodded, handing the compound Barnett over. Shelia's hand took it and she said, "Gonna have to move fast as soon as I dust him." She slid back along the wall holding the crossbow one handed by the pistol grip, preparing to step out into the tunnel.

Faith slung her arrow rifle, reaching into her bag for the two prepared Molotov cocktails. She moved up as Shelia stepped out and the crossbow went off. The sound of a vamp dusting almost immediately followed the twang of the bow.

Lighting the wick of the first cocktail, Faith stepped out into the tunnel as Shelia drew back the string to reload. She took a long step forward, cocking her arm back, and let it fly into the small alcove just beyond the tunnel mouth. It ignited with a woosh as the bottle broke and gasoline sprayed everywhere. A screaming, hissing, burning vamp stumbled out and Shelia shot him as he came into view. Faith was already lighting the other Molotov, stepping to one side and hurling it farther down into the other alcove.

No vampire came out of that one, only rivulets of burning gasoline. "Hey! I'm _not_ flameproof, you know," Shelia said.

"Move fast and don't give 'em time to catch," Faith said, smirking. "Sling that, don't drop it - I _like_ that crossbow."

Nodding, Shelia reloaded the crossbow and went in fast over and past the burning fuel, sharpened staff in her other hand. Faith unslung the arrow air-gun, going in just behind her. Even warned by the explosion of flames and the screaming vamp, the four at the tunnel end never knew what hit them.

Stepping back from a dust cloud that her sharpened staff had made of the last vamp, Shelia looked up, then over at Faith. "Hope you're right about that grate being unlocked, or this'll be real embarrassing."

"Only one way to find out," Faith said, tucking away a stake into her belt. Shelia nodded, then threw her a wide, exhilarated grin. Faith found herself returning the grin in spite of herself. She made an 'after you' gesture to the vampire, then pointed up at the grate.

"Why do I get to go first?"

"Because I don't want you behind me," Faith said.

"Oh. Right." Shelia slung the crossbow, making certain it was secure. "Hope your friends up there aren't trigger happy," she threw Faith that exhilarated grin again, jumping up slightly to grab a pipe running along below the tunnel ceiling and swinging booted feet up into the grate - hard. It flew up and in, clanging to the floor somewhere inside. Shelia's body followed it through, disappearing inside as she flipped through the opening.

"Showoff," Faith muttered. Unslinging her axe, she crouched low beneath the opening and jumped straight up, slayer powered legs carrying her up and through to land in a crouch inside the room.

A vampire dusted on the end of Shelia's staff as Faith threw a quick look around. A second dust cloud still hanging in the air spoke of at least another vamp that had met the end of that staff. Faith could hear combat sounds, crossbows and the deeper _phat!_-ing sounds of arrow air-guns, from somewhere up above. A vamp lunged at her in full game face and her arrow caught it through the chest at almost point blank range, momentum carrying the dust cloud over her as the vamp disintegrated. Another one caught the edge of her battle axe across the neck as she moved on.

A large black vamp threw a snap kick at Shelia's head and she crouched under it, her face twisting in a snarl. She went up and in, crashing into the bigger vamp in a blur of fists, feet, teeth and knees, sending both of them back until the a wall stopped the big vamp's retreat. A female vamp threw herself at Faith, snarling. She took the edge of the axe at neck height and disintegrated.

With one last snarl, Shelia ripped the head off of the bigger vamp and stepped back from the dust explosion. It got suddenly still in the basement room, and above, as well. Faith glanced around, taking stock. Tables, glassine bags, scales... much as they other lair they'd taken down. A change was the Browning gun safe in one corner with the door open, apparently being used as a repository for cash and chemicals rather than firearms.

Footsteps moving quickly on the stairs drew both their attentions. Shelia snatched up her sharpened stave as Faith moved to flatten herself to one side of the stair opening. She stuck a foot out, sending the first vamp through sprawling as Shelia stepped in from the other side and stuck the pointed end of her stave through his companion's chest. Faith casually stepped over and planted one Harley boot on the sprawling vamp's chest as Shelia dropped the point of her stave to his heart.

The goth vamp snickered. "My my. What do we have here?"

Faith grinned and pulled out the cellphone, pushing the button for Cordelia's programmed number. "Faith?" The cheerleader sounded out of breath but exhilarated. "Where are you?"

"Yup, and down in the basement," Faith replied. "All clear down here. You?"

"Clear, seven vamps dust, no one hurt, and we're wrapping up. Be down there in a few."

"Cool," Faith said, grinning. "We'll be waiting." She put away the phone, gazing impassively down at the captive vamp under her boot, "Now, what should we do with you?"

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, comes to mind," Shelia said, mildly. She leaned in idly on the staff, watching impassively as blood welled up around the point. The vamp snarled futilely, but otherwise didn't move.

Faith put her axe away and reloaded the arrow air-gun, shooting a look at the goth girl. "You really _don't_ like vamps much, do you."

"No, I really don't," Shelia agreed. The rest of the group made their way down stairs, Xander not quite aiming his arrow rifle at Shelia but edging around her to Faith's side of the room. Giles wasn't nearly as circumspect; as soon as he saw the little tableau, he gave it a bemused look and kept his crossbow carefully trained on the goth vampiress.

"I gather your end of the endeavor was a success, then?" Giles asked. "Hello, ah, Shelia."

"Hello, Librarian," Shelia said, not taking her eyes off of the pinned vamp. "Mind aiming that somewhere else?"

"Why yes, actually, I really do," Giles stated.

"Smart man," Shelia glanced at him briefly, flashing him a grin.

"Seven?" Faith ignored them for now, stepping back from the downed vamp. Once a quick look had assured her that none of her group was injured, she raised her eyebrows at Xander and Cordelia.

"Seven upstairs, plus this guy and one more that took off running," Xander said. Cordelia nodded.

"We had a delay waiting for a bunch of vamps to clear out before we could move in," Cordelia said. "Car load pulled up and went in, came back out, piled back in their car, and took off again."

"Huh?" Shelia glanced over at them, then down again. "Fancy that. Satisfied customers, schmuck?"

"Screw you," the prostrate vamp snarled back up at her.

"Wrong answer." Shelia grinned, pulling the staff back and smashing the edge of her boot sole into his kneecaps with a sound like a pair of pistol shots. The vamp screamed, clutching at one of his knees. Shelia glanced over to Willow, holding a hand out towards the super-soaker Willow held in one hand. "May I borrow that for a minute?"

"Uh... " Willow had a sick expression, still looking at the kneecapped vamp. She backed up slightly, leaning into Oz.

"C'mon, Rosenberg," Shelia rolled her eyes slightly, snapping her fingers. "What am I going to do with it? Hose you guys down and make you wet?"

"Oh!" Willow registered the water gun and the request for the first time, apparently. "Uh, sure." She tossed the super-soaker to the vampire girl. Giles watched the exchange with a curious expression. He glanced at Faith, who shrugged and spread her hands slightly.

"Gracias," Shelia said. She gave the downed vamp a shot across the upper chest and neck, waiting until he stopped howling to go into game face before saying, "Might want to be polite to me. Humans have qualms. I won't."

He recoiled from her, then froze. "A traitor?"

Shelia spat at him, dropping out of game face, "Have to actually owe you loyalty to be a traitor, idiot." She glanced up at Giles, "Any real point in questioning him for info?"

Giles pursed his lips, studying her. "Do you think he might actually know something worth having?" He looked at Faith, who shrugged back.

"Hmm." Shelia studied the other vamp for a minute, then shook her head. "Muscle. You guys must have dusted the guy running the operation here. No one with a brain cell would trust this guy with anything important."

"Then no, I can't see a real point in torturing him," Giles said. "Except for perhaps personal gratification."

Faith nudged Cordelia and Xander, indicating their bags, and jerking her head towards the safe and the tables. She looked at Giles, "Naw. No point, I don't think."

Cordelia and Xander went over and started quickly and efficiently scooping things out of the safe and off the tables into their bags. After a moment, Oz joined them.

"Suits," Shelia said. She thrust the sharpened end of her staff down once, stepping back from the dust cloud. Dropping the staff, she tossed the super-soaker back to Willow with a murmured 'thanks', and held her hands out away from her sides. "So, this where you guys dust me?"

"It's got my vote," Xander called over.

Faith snapped her fingers, getting Shelia's attention. "My crossbow - don't want it dusting with you," she said, holding her hand out. Shelia gave her a surprised look, then smirked, unslinging it and passing it over.

Giles sighed heavily, removing his glasses and beginning to clean them. He gave the goth vampire a penetrating look, "Is there any reason why we should not?"

"I'm the wrong person to ask," Shelia said. "I'm going to vote against it."

Chuckling, Giles gave her a sharp glance, "Yes, I can see where you might," he said, dryly. He looked over at the Slayer, "Faith?"

"She came through on her end, Giles," Faith said. "But it's really you guys call - I'm still kinda the outsider here."

"In the interests of not prejudicing my case, I'll refrain from making buk buk noises here," Shelia said. Faith snickered, giving the vamp a black look.

Cordelia came back to join them, holding out her bag to Faith. Slinging the crossbow on her other shoulder, Faith took it from her. "Partners, remember? Your voice counts too."

"Other than the well, vampire thing, and right - that's a big issue," Willow said, "Is there a major reason to dust Shelia? I mean, she's being helpful and she hasn't tried to kill any of us."

"Yet," Shelia said. Willow's eyes widened slightly, and she backed away. "Oh, relax, Rosenberg. S'a joke. Mostly."

"Hmm. Let me ask you, Shelia," Giles said, "Why _are_ you being helpful to us?"

"Vampire, Librarian," Shelia gave him a direct look. "Self interest and my own amusement pretty well covers my motivations."

"That, I am afraid, doesn't give us much to work with," Giles noted. "I seem to clearly recall you attempting to kill Buffy Summers during Parent's Night when you were with Spike."

"Would've done it too, if some librarian hadn't shouted a warning," Shelia said, cheerfully.

"And that's _really_ endearing us to the 'Let's not dust Shelia' concept, let me tell you," Xander said as he finished up and came back over.

"Oh, I don't know," Cordelia remarked. "Would have curtailed a whole _world_ of badness later in the year." Willow made an outraged sound and Giles glared at Cordelia. She threw up her hands, "I'm just _saying_, is all." Xander shook his head, giving his girlfriend a reproving look.

"Yes, well," Giles replaced his glasses and unslung his crossbow, holding it easily at his side. "How pray tell, do we know that you won't suddenly find it err, entertaining to decide to kill Faith some night? Or ourselves?"

"You don't," Shelia stated, bluntly. "I could say that Faith amuses me and killing you guys would piss her off. Counter productive. I could say that you guys are more useful to me alive." She grinned, sliding briefly into game face and back out, "But I'm a vampire and I might be lying."

"You don't seem to be working real hard at convincing us not to kill you," Willow observed. Shelia glanced at her.

"Why should I blow smoke up your asses?" Shelia countered, making the red head frown. "You guys are gonna do what you're gonna do. When that happens, I'll react and things'll get real abrupt, really fast." Shelia shrugged, "But you might want to decide soon before more customers drop in, or Dacascos sends someone out for some reason."

"Good point." Faith remarked.

Giles cleared his throat, looking thoughtful. "Willow does make a good point. You _aren't_ offering a us a lot to work with."

"Such as?" Shelia threw up her hands. She pointed, "Vampire Slayer. Watcher. Vampire," she jerked a thumb back in her direction. "Kinda hard to offer logic arguing for something that doesn't make sense." She quirked a half grin, the tragedy mask making it look odd and very sinister, "Mixing it up with you guys is _stupid_, and I'm not. But convincing you I'm not a threat won't happen - you gotta make a choice for your own reasons."

"Faith's call," Oz put in. Everyone looked at him. He shrugged, "She is the slayer, right?"

"Hmmm." Giles sighed. "There is that, I suppose." He gave Faith a long look, "I'll leave the choice to you, then."

"Passing the buck back, huh?" Faith made a face. She studied the faces of the rest of her companions, finally sighing heavily and Shelia an even look. "Take off. Don't make me regret it."

"We already had that talk," Shelia said. "Don't see a need to rehash it." She walked over to the edge of the exit into the sewers, keeping her hands carefully away from her body.

"Shelia," Faith called out. The vampiress turned, looking over at her. Taking a wrapped packet of bills from the bag Cordy'd given her, she tossed it to the goth vamp. "Blood money. Call it a start on your bankroll."

"Not a start, but it'll add to it," Shelia tossed a grin at her. Sketching a salute with the packet, she jumped down the hole.

"We're going to have a long talk about this later, aren't we," Faith said, looking over to Giles.

"Why yes, I do believe you're correct on that," Giles replied.


	14. Silver, Blood, and Gold: Epilogue

**Silver, Blood, and Gold: Epilogue -**

_**Thursday September 3, 1998; Sunnydale, #4616, Apt. B on Windsor St., early early AM.**_

Faith stared at the door for long minutes, several times turning away, only to turn back again. The only thing that had prompted her to come up to the door in the first place was the fact that there were still lights on inside. Finally, she raised her hand and rapped sharply on it several times with her knuckles, ignoring the doorbell.

A faint "Bloody hell" came from inside somewhere, followed by soft footsteps. After several minutes, something shadowed the peephole, followed by the sound of the bolts being drawn back.

"Faith?" Rupert Giles opened the door, giving her a puzzled frown.

"Hey. I uh, decided I couldn't sleep, so I figured we'd get that talk out of the way," Faith stuck her hands in her back pockets, suddenly feeling even more uncomfortable.

"Ah." Giles shook his head slightly, giving her a faintly exasperated look. "And it couldn't have waited until morning, or perhaps early afternoon?"

"It is morning?" Faith ventured.

"Ah. So it is," Giles stepped back holding the door open to allow her to step in. Giving an approving nod at the caution, Faith stepped through the doorway. "I was about to have some tea before getting ready for bed," Giles said. "Would you care for some?"

"It's not that stuff that tastes like roots and dead seaweed is it?"

"Hardly," Giles chuckled, turning toward the kitchen. "It's perfectly good Earl Grey."

"Sure," Faith said, bobbing her head. "Lots of sugar and lemon, if you got it." She wandered around examining the small living room while Giles busied himself in the kitchen.

He came out a short while later carrying a tea service. Setting it on the coffee table he said, "There's sugar and lemon slices. I'll let you flavor it to your preferences." He took a seat on the sofa, picking up the tea pot and pouring into both of their cups.

"Cool." Faith took a seat perched on the edge of one of the arm chairs at the end of the sofa, spending a few minutes fixing her tea. "Ok, figured we'd get this done so you can fire me as your temporary slayer and we can move on."

Giles gave her a startled look. "I'm not planning to fire you, Faith." He chuckled, "I'm not certain it is even possible to fire one's Slayer."

"Not even a Watcher/Slayer incompatibility clause?" Faith asked in a joking tone of voice.

"I'm afraid not," he shook his head. Giles gave her a sharp look, saying, "A difference in perspectives on situations and how to deal with them isn't necessarily a mark of incompatibility." Taking a sip of his tea, he asked, "Might I ask what brings this on?"

"I'm not exactly a by the book Slayer," Faith said. "I don't do real well following rules and stuff."

"There are those who would be more than happy to inform you that I'm not exactly a by the book Watcher, either," Giles responded.

"I kinda figured that one out," Faith admitted.

"I might wish to know more about the reasoning behind some of your choices and decisions, however," Giles said.

Nodding, Faith responded obliquely. "Nineteen vamps."

"Beg pardon?"

"Nineteen vamps. At least a dozen between the sewer and that basement, and the seven you guys cleared. Maybe more - I kinda lost count down there," Faith said.

"I see. Plus the four outside, making just over twenty," Giles said. "If it hadn't been a series of individual encounters with us working as a group, it could have been an overwhelming fight."

"Uh huh. Six the other night, plus the dozen that jumped me that Shelia came in on at the end," Faith added. "Six with me and Xander the night before. However many with Cordy the night before that. Not even counting the Nightgaunts and other weirdnesses."

"It _has_ been a rather intense summer, yes," Giles agreed.

"And according to the guys, it gets more intense after the summer," Faith said.

Nodding, Giles said, "I'm going to assume that you have a direction you're taking this in?"

"There's no manual for this stuff, Giles," Faith said, giving him a slight shrug. "We don't have a rule book to be 'by the book' by."

"Actually, there is a manual," Giles began...

"I've read the Slayer Handbook, Giles," Faith cut across him. "It doesn't cover a quarter of the crap I've seen since getting here. It doesn't even _mention_ slayers trying to figure out how to have friends and a family, or girls with werewolf boyfriends."

"Ah. Quite," Giles said. "I'm afraid the Watcher's manual doesn't mention how to deal with those things, either." He examined Faith carefully while pouring them both refills, "So effectively, you're pointing out that in lieu of an effective road map, we're forced to design our own rulebooks for dealing with things where there are no guidelines."

"I am?" Faith gave him a wide eyed look, then broke out into a grin. "I was, but it sounds better when you say it."

Nodding, Giles gave her a small grin of his own. "It's hardly a new awareness for me. However, my previous attempts at throwing out the rulebook and improvising have had... disastrous results, at best."

"I'm not gonna screw Shelia's soul out and send her on a rampage, Giles," Faith said, seriously.

Giles winced, visibly. He removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry," Faith said, wincing herself. "Didn't mean that how it came out."

"No, it's quite all right," Giles said, replacing his glasses. He gave her a bleak look, "I do fear you've been spending far too much time with Cordelia, however."

"She does tend to have that blunt thing going," Faith said.

"Quite," Giles leaned back, holding his teacup and giving Faith a serious look. "While perhaps not that _exactly_, you must understand that something similar is a fear of mine, as it must be for Xander and the others. And it is a valid fear."

"Except for Red, maybe," Faith said, nodding.

"Yes, well, Willow may have been a bit too caught up in the romance part of the 'tragic romance' and forgotten that 'tragic' is an essential component of those things," Giles remarked.

"I hate vampires," Faith stated. "Probably as much as Harris does. I'm not gonna get all cuddly and palsy with this gal and forget what she is."

"And yet you see advantage in allying with her to some degree?"

"We're not getting ahead of this," Faith said. "We could go out every night from sundown to sunup and kill every vamp and demon we find, and still not get ahead of it. There's always going to be more." She shrugged, "I'll take whatever edge we can get, even if it's a strange vamp that likes killing other vamps."

"Bluntly, to borrow a page from Cordelia's repertoire," Giles said, "Do you believe that you can trust this Shelia?"

Snorting, Faith gave him a direct look. "No. But I don't trust anyone, so that's nothing new."

Giles raised his eyebrows, covering for a few moments by pouring more tea for them. "Not even your friends?" He asked.

Faith opened her mouth, then closed it, cocking her head and narrowing her eyes slightly. "Lemme get back to you on that one." She fixed her tea, adding sugar and lemon until it was ready, "I _could_ get to trust Cordy and Xan, I think."

His lips twitching slightly at the corners, Giles decided to let that one go for now. Instead, he nodded. "I passed the decision to you. I'm not going to second guess your choice even when I'm not certain I agree with it."

"Why?" Faith's question was bluntly curious.

"Hmmm." Giles frowned, "It hardly benefits either of us for me to stress on one hand a need for you to learn to to choose between acceptable risks and unacceptable ones, and then undercut you on the other hand whenever you attempt to apply the lesson." He considered for a moment, then added, "I would very much _like_ for you to become a confident and adaptable Slayer, not a drone who merely chooses within options outlined by your Watcher."

"And if it blows up on us and kills everyone?" Faith smiled at his statement, but her eyes were serious.

"Promise me that you won't leave me a note and disappear for parts unknown if that happens," Giles said, dryly, "And we'll attempt to work through it."

"Not a problem," Faith grinned. "Think I've had enough tea. And I'd better let you get some sleep."

"Quite all right, Faith." Giles said. "I did tell you you could speak with me on any matters you wished at any time." He rose with her to see her to the door. "Will you be in tomorrow for training?"

"Ah... probably not. If that's ok?" Faith shook her head, "We're leaving tomorrow afternoon for Cordy's lake cabin, and I need to get my stuff together." She glanced back at the clock over his mantle, "Err, this afternoon."

"Ah. Very well, then. Do enjoy yourselves up there," Giles closed the door behind her, quietly, and stood gazing at it for a long time with his hands in his pockets and a slightly bemused expression.

**The END**

_**To be Continued in "Night Watchmen" Episode 1d: "Days of Futures Not"**_


End file.
